Sunshine and Summertime
by MercifulGrace
Summary: [For tumblr's Nalu Week] Oneshots circling around the relationship of Natsu and Lucy. Chapter Eleven, "Compatibility." They're different, but where one lacks the other makes up for it. Complete!
1. School

**Hey everybody! Well, I decided to try my hand at Fairy Tail fanfiction and this is the result. This is for tumblr's Nalu Week using the free prompt "School." I also decided to change it around to where Lucy is a teacher and Natsu is her boyfriend (I didn't bother to put his occupation so he can be whatever you want him to be). I hope everyone enjoys this!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fairy Tail!**

**o0o**

"Remember class, when writing a story you need a rising action, climax, the falling action, and then—"

**KNOCK KNOCK**

Lucy stopped her lecture to give the door a curious look. _Who could that be?_

"Come in," she called to the visitor.

"Open the door," came the muffled reply. Lucy and her students all exchanged confused glances before one student closest to the door stood up and opened it.

All eyes widened considerably when they saw a person carry a gigantic bouquet of different arrangements of flowers. However, this wasn't just any person, Lucy thought…

"Natsu?" she asked and lo and behold, a man with rose-colored hair popped up out of the flowers' way and grinned at the writing teacher.

"Hey, Luce," he said, "Surprised?"

She could hear the giggles and whispers from her students and gave her boyfriend a stern glare.

"Very, but that's not the point. Why are you here?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her, "To give you flowers, duh! I would have had the store deliver it to you, but they said something about not doing deliveries and how the school frowns upon it or something stupid like that. Well, anyways, here you go!"

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes, but upon seeing his excited face and the large bouquet, she blushed and gave him a soft smile, "W-Well thank you Natsu, that's very sweet of you…"

"AWWWW HOW ROMANTIC IS THAT?!" came a shrill squeal jolting the blonde out of the moment. Looking at the faces of her students (some dreamy looking while others were suggestive), Lucy realized where she was and cleared her throat.

"T-Thank you once again Mr. Dragneel. If you would, please take these home and I will see you this afternoon."

"Oh, okay Luce," Natsu said nonchalantly, obviously not catching his girlfriend's no-nonsense tone. Before she could protest, he swept in to give her a quick peck on the cheek before making his way out the door with the flowers. Once gone, her students erupted in a frenzy.

"Oooooh, Miss Lucy has a _boyfriend_!"

"He is _such _a sweetheart! I wish my boyfriend was like that!"

"What the hell, why do teachers show PDA? This is unfair man!"

"Have you two banged yet?"

"ENOUGH!" Lucy cried, her face a brilliant shade of red, "Let us forget about this and move on with our lesson. Do I make myself clear?"

There were some groans, but in the end the teenagers complied.

o0o

When Lucy reached her home, she noticed Natsu was in the kitchen cooking dinner—stir-fry she believed. She also noticed the bouquet of flowers were separated into three vases (how much did it cost him for that big of an arrangement, she wondered).

"Hey Lucy," he called when he noticed her walk in, "Dinner will be ready in a few. Just give me a couple more—"

"We need to talk."

Natsu instantly stopped what he was doing and stared at his girlfriend. Oh no, what did he do now? Usually when she says, "we need to talk," it obviously meant she was _very _unhappy with him.

"About your 'special' delivery," she clarified when she noticed the panicked look on his face. Natsu still didn't ease up though.

"What about it? Don't you like the flowers?" he pouted. Lucy thought he looked cute, but didn't' dwell on it long.

"I loved the flowers! I think you are the most thoughtful man I have ever met, but what I didn't particularly like was that you interrupted my class and riled up all my students."

When she finished her rant, Natsu cautiously stepped toward her, "Soooo are you mad at me or not? Because I can't really tell from your explanation."

Lucy smacked her forehead, "I'm not mad at the fact you got me flowers, _however_, next time you want to surprise me with something either do it during my planning or after school, okay? It was really embarrassing having my kids ask me a lot of personal questions."

He nodded, "Alright, I promise not to do it again."

"Thank you," she said then raised her head up to give him a nice, long kiss. They stayed like that for a while before a burning scent reached their noses.

"What's that?" Natsu asked as he tried to look around for the source of the strange smell.

"OH MY GOD NATSU, THE FOOD!" Lucy screeched as she pointed behind him at the fire burning on the pan.

"OH SHIT!"

o0o

The next day, Lucy was grading papers when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called and when she raised her head to see who her visitor was, she was met with the sight of her boyfriend offering her a paper bag with the logo of her favorite fast food chain.

"Hey," Natsu greeted smiling, "figured I'd bring you lunch. This is your planning right?" he asked as he swept his eyes across the empty room.

Lucy nodded, "Yes it is," she then took the bag, "Thank you so much, but you honestly don't have to do this."

Natsu waved his hand and opened his own paper bag, "Consider it my apology for yesterday."

"Well still, this makes two sweet things in a row. Are you sick or something?"

She couldn't help but laugh at his feigned hurt expression. He pouted and said, "Aww come on, Luce. Can't a guy do something nice for the love of his life?"

That got a blush out of her, but she didn't back down as she smirked at him and said, "Not unless he wants something out of it. Would you like me to so something for you?"

Natsu mirrored her smirk, "I can think of a couple of things you could do…"

The comment was_ very _suggestive, and while Natsu expected Lucy to hit him or reprimand him for such indecency, he was instead met with her still smirking face and a wink.

"We'll talk at home."

He barked out a laugh and leaned in for a kiss, which Lucy was all too happy to give him. It started out slow and romantic, then became passionate as Natsu boldly lick the seam of Lucy's lips, asking for entrance. The blonde complied, allowing their innocent kiss to deepen into something more intimate. The two were so caught up in their moment, they had failed to hear the door swing open. A shocked group gasp had them moving apart as they stared wide-eyed at a group of teenagers openly staring at them.

There was an uncomfortable pause before one kid finally snapped out of it and accusingly pointed at them.

"PDA!" he shouted.

"Ohmigod is that the wonderful and perfect boyfriend that the other class talked about yesterday? How unfair, I want one of those!"

"Oh no, he's hot!"

"Miss Lucy, have you no shame?"

"Get it girl!"

The flustered writing teacher sprang form her chair and fumed, "Get out, get out, GET OUT! You know this is my planning period so you kids shouldn't even be in here! Leave now!"

After another good laugh, the students ran out the door to escape their teacher's wrath. While Lucy was still seething, she managed to notice Natsu about to walk out the door as well with a sulking aura around him. She rolled her eyes and pulled him back in.

"Not you, you nitwit!"

His eyes lit up, "I can stay?"

She giggled, "Yes you can stay, but only for…" she checked her watch, "thirty minutes more."

"That's perfect!" he said before bouncing into a chair and continued eating his lunch.

Lucy shook her head and smiled as she joined him. He wasn't the most conservative person, but really now, Lucy wouldn't have it any other way.

After all, that is what she loves most about him.

**o0o**

**I hope everyone has enjoyed this. Leave a review and tell me what you all thought about it. Expect more in the near future!**


	2. Matching

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, ****favorited, or just simply glanced at it. I swear this chapter was a lot better in my head and I had to edit a few things here and there, but I think it's sufficient enough.** **This chapter centers around the prompt "Matching," so I hope you like my take on it.**

**Disclaimer: **-looks in mirror- Well I'm not a Japanese man, so therefore, I do not own Fairy Tail.

**o0o**

What was weird was that Gray, of all people, was the first to notice.

"Do you two know you're wearing the same wristband?"

Lucy and Natsu exchange a confused glance before looking down at their respective wrists. Sure enough, around Lucy's right wrist was a black wristband, which looked eerily similar to the one that was around Natsu's left wrist.

"Oh, well that's a coincidence…" Lucy said brushing it off. So they both have the same article of clothing, big deal.

"Yeah. It almost looks…couple-y," Gray snorted as he teased the two. He succeeded with Lucy, making her cheeks heat up a tad. Natsu, on the other hand, just gave the Ice Make mage a look.

"Eh? Couple-y? What are you going on about you Ice Bastard?" he insulted and both Lucy and Gray rolled their eyes. _Of course he wouldn't understand._

As Gray took the Dragon Slayer's bait and argued with him, Lucy made this her chance to escape. Wouldn't want a chair to come flying at her or anything of the like.

However, Gray's words were still ringing in her head making her slap her cheeks to get rid of the infuriating blush. _It's just a wristband Lucy! No need to get all crazy about it!_

**o0o**

The next time something like the Wristband Incident (as Lucy liked to call it) occurs, was when Team Natsu was sent to disband Oracion Seis and stop the raging Nirvana.

In one moment Lucy was fighting the despicable Angel, then the next she was trying to save a motion sick Natsu from raging rapids. She doesn't remember anything after that considering she blacked out sometime after falling off a waterfall, but when she came to, she was wearing a very pretty dress courtesy of Virgo.

A dress that was a matching set to the outfit the maid spirit decided to give Natsu.

To be quite honest, Lucy thought it was an odd sight. The fact that her friend was wearing something that wasn't an open vest and harem pants was one thing, but what made this situation more odd for the blonde was that Natsu actually looked _good _in the outfit. Like, _really _good. Combine this observation with his out of nowhere compliment of her previous actions from the rapids made her cheeks heat up considerably. Why does this keep happening to her?

"He llllllikes you," Virgo trilled.

"Are you Happy now?" Lucy shrieked, trying in vain to get rid of her blush and hide her embarrassment from Natsu.

Throughout the rest of the events of the mission as well as after, someone would point out the obvious fact that the two partners were wearing matching clothes (even if they weren't recognizable toward the end with all the tears and dirt). It didn't seem to bother Natsu, so it shouldn't bother Lucy, right?

Okay then, so why couldn't she stop thinking about it?

**o0o**

"Are you _serious_!?" Lucy complained as she stepped out of her hotel room's bathroom and took a good look at Natsu's outfit.

After the hectic events of July 7th, everyone decided there was some much needed downtime, so Fairy Tail packed their suitcases and headed to the beach. Along with some rest and relaxation, the resort the guild was staying at was having a cocktail party in their name as congratulations for their victory of the Grand Magic Games as well as being big contributions to fending off the dragons.

Earlier that week, Lucy went shopping and picked out the cutest blush pink dress for the party and a matching flower to go into her hair. She had told Natsu to come and get her when he was ready so they could go together (as _friends _of course), however, once he came into her room and she got a good look at him, her mouth dropped.

True, Natsu did clean up good, but that wasn't what got to Lucy (okay maybe it was a _little_). What got to her was that his choice of dress shirt was also pink. Practically the same pink as her dress!

_Why do I have a feeling someone like Mira chose his outfit…_

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked as he saw Lucy's scowling face.

"Your shirt matches my dress!"

"Okay. So?" Natsu asked with a shrug of his shoulders. Lucy gave an exasperated sigh. _Of _course _he wouldn't understand the implications of this._

"Just wait right here a second, I'm going to go change," she said as she was about to make her way back into the bathroom.

Natsu whined, "Aw come on, Lucy, everyone's already at the party and waiting for us. You look fine anyway, what's the problem? Let's just go!"

Lucy heaved another sigh and calmly explained, "Natsu, if we go down there dressed like this," she motioned to their outfits, "then people will think we came _together_."

Natsu blinked.

"But we _did _come together."

"No, not like _that_! People will think we are _together together_. As in we lllllike each other together," she said using Happy trademark phrase because she knew he at least understood that.

"Oh," he simply said and then looked away from her as he scratched the back of his head. Wait a second, is that what she thinks it is?

"Natsu, are you _blushing_?" she asked gasping when she saw it intensify, "Oh my goodness, you _are_!"

She couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassment, which only embarrassed the poor boy even more. But why was he even embarrassed to begin with? That was when a thought struck Lucy. Could it possibly be that he…

"Natsu," she began, "Why exactly are you blushing like that?"

"Well," he said as the redness in his cheeks died down, but only to a dull pink, "maybe I _want _us to be _together together_."

The confession was muttered but she heard it nonetheless. Blinking at him, Lucy tried to wrap her mind around what exactly was transpiring. She eventually managed to process everything and gave him a shy smile, taking his arm into hers.

"Well Mr. Dragneel, we wouldn't want to keep the party waiting now, would we?"

Natsu stared at her for a while until his signature grin widened as he understood what she really saying, "Of course not, my lady!"

She laughed at his exaggerated high-class man's voice and followed his lead out of her hotel room.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

**o0o**

"Lucy! Come on, Luce, stay with me!" Natsu yelled at the bleeding girl lying in his lap.

"Natsu, I am okay. Don't worry so much," Lucy tried to assure him before beginning a coughing fit, blooding coming up along with it.

"Damn it, don't tell me you are okay with a wound like that!" he spat as he pointed to her side where blood was steadily pouring out of her. He immediately took his one-armed vest off to press it over her wound. "Happy will be back with Wendy in a minute, so stay awake and don't you dare leave me okay?"

Lucy sighed and she stared at her overprotective boyfriend. In all honesty, she _did _feel fine, although she supposed that was because she was more focused on his arms wrapped securely around her than the pain in her side. Or she was possibly delusional from blood loss...

"You shouldn't worry about that," she told him, "I would never leave you."

"Good." He said as he pressed his discarded shirt over her side to apply more pressure and stop the blood from flowing out of her body. Soon, Happy arrived with Wendy and Charle in tow. The young Dragon Slayer immediately began her work and healing her blonde nakama.

"Will she be all right?" Natsu asked frantically. Before they arrived, he noticed Lucy become more fatigued and her breathing become shallow, causing him to expect the worse. Once Wendy gave him a reassuring nod, he allowed a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, she is going to be fine. She is just exhausted from the lack of blood." As Wendy continued her work, Lucy starting gaining more strength. She looked at the wound that was being closed then to Natsu, who was stroking her hair.

"We match now," she said and upon seeing his confused face, she gestured to his side where a scar he received from battling the future Rogue all that time ago was. He gave a dry laugh.

"You idiot, don't make stupid jokes at a time like this!"

**o0o**

They were sitting by the stream Natsu and Happy loved to fish in when Natsu asked her a question.

"Hey, Lucy?"

"Hmmm?" she asked as she turned away from the book she was reading to give him an inquiring look.

She was surprised to see that he had a nervous look on his face. Natsu, nervous? What in Earthland could he possibly want to ask her?

"Y-You know how people always say we match and stuff?" he asked her as his cheeks were painted a faint red and his hands fiddled with a blade of grass.

"Yeah…" she drawled out, eyeing her boyfriend. Not only was his nervousness making her weary, but the fact that he stuttered with his question and is asking her something that was (she admits) pretty obvious was making this situation all the more weird, "Why do you ask?"

"W-Well," he started, not looking her in the eyes, but he then took a deep breath and faced her head on, a determined look on his face, "Would you want to maybe match in something else?"

Lucy stared at him for a while and blushed under his gaze. He looked so serious and his hazel green eyes were very intense, it was causing her to have a very faint idea of what exactly he wanted to ask her. However, rather than flat-out agreeing, she wanted to keep drawing out the conversation so she could hear it from his own mouth.

"Wh-What would you like to match in?" Great now she was the one stuttering.

Natsu gave her the biggest and brightest grin she didn't think was possible to fit on his face. He looked straight into her brown eyes as he answered her:

"Last names."

**o0o**

**How cheesy was that last part? Ugh, I really hope this is all right, but every time I would try to fix something it still just doesn't end up right. Please leave a review if you did like it or have any other opinions. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of Nalu Week's free prompts!**

**Until next time, see ya!**


	3. Sleep

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, etc. I'm so glad you all are enjoying these oneshots! ^^**

**Fun Fact: I actually wrote this oneshot months ago (like _way _before Nalu Week was even announced.), however, I was too chicken to upload it. When I saw that the third bonus prompt was "Summer," or "Sleep," I thought that this would work out nicely.**

**I think this works with both of the prompts but it leans more towards "Sleep," so that's why I titled it like that.**

**Okay enough commentary. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:** Guys, I can't even draw _stick people _properly! What makes you think I could draw something as good as Fairy Tail?

o0o

_It's so. Freackin'. HOT!_

These are the words going through Lucy's mind as she lies in bed in a practically boiling room.

Magnolia was going through a massive heat wave that made daytime unbearable and the citizens miserable. Hell, even at night the celestial mage found herself having to turn on an extra fan just because there would not be enough of a breeze to come through her open windows.

However, while it was particularly hot this time at night, it was not the temperature _outside _that was making her extra miserable. No, what was making her wish to fill her bathtub up with ice cubes and just jump right in was in the form of her dragon slayer partner, Natsu Dragneel.

It is not a secret that Natsu sneaks into Lucy's bed (which brings on _many _opportunities for teasing and awkward conversations, much to the blonde's embarrassment). At first, Lucy would reprimand and yell at the man to please respect her privacy and _kindly get the hell out of her bed_, but when winter came and along with it very chilling nights, Lucy decided maybe the extra heat wasn't so bad.

However, it is no longer winter where the fire mage's abnormal body heat was a blessing. It was summer and with the weather, Natsu's temperature also rises, which in turn makes him absolutely unbearable to be around within the same bed.

Especially when he had picked up the habit of cuddling her.

So here was Lucy in her summer pajamas consisting of a thin spaghetti strap tank-top and some of her favorite short shorts, lying on a bed with only a sheet as a cover with two of her best fans blowing refreshing air in the room, and a cuddle whore of a fire dragon slayer whose body was (she swears) 100 degrees! Oh yeah, it was also two in the morning and the blonde and her teammates have to leave early for a mission tomorrow!

Fan-freackin'-tastic!

"Natsu," she groggily whined, "let go. You're suffocating me!"

She was met with a groan and the exact opposite of what she wanted, Natsu's arms tightening their hold. At this rate come morning, Lucy will probably have third degree burns!

"Natsu!" she repeated louder this time, "At least ease up on your grip!"

Obviously this was one of those nights where Natsu was completely out cold. Lucy wishes she could be immune to this insufferable heat wave, but alas life isn't fair.

Huffing an exasperated sigh, the blonde grabbed hold of her friend's arms and pulled on them with all her might. Eventually, she managed to loosen them and as stealthily as she could, she replaced herself with her pillow. The dragon slayer took the bait and Lucy could have cried joyful tears at how refreshing and cooler the air was now.

"Free at last!" she exclaimed as quietly as she could so she wouldn't wake up her partner and carefully got out of her bed and onto the couch.

"Luuucy," she heard someone whine. Turning her head she spotted Happy groggily rubbing his eyes and staring at her, "Why are you so loooud?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at the feline, "Sorry Happy. Just go back to sleep okay?"

"Why are you out of bed?" he continued and Lucy noticed Natsu stir slightly. _Oh, no!_

"Shhh," she tried to quiet him, "I'm just going to sleep on the couch. Now go back to sleep before Natsu wakes up."

"Okay," he consented, but gave her one last sly look, "but when Natsu wakes up in the morning, he'll be really upset you moved."

Lucy ignored the teasing comment and her flushed cheeks. _Damn cat. _With that last thought, she lay down on the couch and was pulled into sleep, not even bothering to cover herself up (why bother anyway?).

o0o

It was the sunlight streaming through her windows that woke her up first. Once she was aware, she realized she was no longer on the couch, but in her bed instead.

_So Natsu did move me, huh? Figures. But why didn't his body heat wake me up?_

Lucy's answer came with the fact that her only companion on the bed was a still sleeping Happy. She thought maybe Natsu woke up in the night and switched places with her out of rare courtesy, but when she finally noticed the warm hand around hers, she then found the real reason for the slayer's absence. There on the floor was Natsu sound asleep and his hand gripped in hers.

"He woke up shortly after you did," she heard Happy say from the other side of the bed, "I told him you got really hot, so he decided to sleep on the floor and let you have the bed. Natsu really liiiiikes you, Lucy."

Despite the trademark roll of tongue, Lucy knew the cat was being genuine which made her heart swell with warmth and happiness at how much her partner cared. As quietly as she could, she dipped down and placed an innocent, chaste kiss on Natsu's forehead, ignoring Happy's squeal of delight.

"I knew it! You liiiiiike him! You liiiiike him! You are _so _together! I can't wait to tell everyone else at the guild!" with that, the exceed flew out Lucy's window before she could react.

"W-Wait, Happy no! Come back you stupid cat!" Unfortunately, before Lucy could run after the blue cat, the hand that was still encased in Natsu's pulled her back. Before she knew it, she was on the floor with him.

She sighed in exasperation, "Geez, you can be so troublesome sometimes."

The quick twitch of his lips informed Lucy that he was awake, making her roll her eyes at how obvious he was.

"Alright, you win," she said getting into a more comfortable position with him, "But we can't sleep long. Remember, we still have that mission to go on."

Natsu grunted in response and enveloped her in a hug. Surprisingly, it wasn't as suffocating as it was last night (not that she was complaining). Giving in, Lucy closed her eyes and gave in to sleep, not even caring about the fact that Happy was most likely telling Mira about her simple and innocent kiss.

o0o

**Meh, it isn't the best in the world (I'm actually afraid I made Natsu too OOC), but I hope you still liked it nonetheless.**

**Leave a review and tell me your thoughts. See you guys next time!**


	4. Farewell

**Thanks again to those who have reviewed, favorited, followed, etc. Well, this one might not be as good as I was hoping it could be. I had to go with the "Farewell" prompt because, well, let's be real guys I can't even write a proper kiss scene, much less something NSFW (plus I'd have to bump the rating to M and that would be stupid since it's just one chapter)! And since something along the lines of farewell means something sad or angsty, I knew it would give me a challenge because angst isn't something I'm talented in…so I ended writing this.**

**I've always wanted to write something that looks into Natsu's psyche, so I took the liberty of writing in his perspective dealing with his abandonment issues as well as throw in his feelings toward Lucy. There may be some tense changes here and there (my weakness when it comes to writing) that I didn't catch, but hopefully it doesn't bother anyone too much (if it does I'll try and edit as best as I can).**

**Anyway, sorry for the huge author's note, enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: **I honestly don't think Fairy Tail would last this long if I owned it.

o0o

Natsu hates goodbyes. Actually, the mere thought of one of his nakama proclaiming to leave him and the rest of the guild made his stomach ache in turmoil.

Igneel had left him without saying goodbye. Then, a few years later, he had told Lisanna that he would "see her later," but once he learned that he would not, in fact, be seeing her later, he almost shattered.

That day was when he decided that nobody was allowed to die, not now not ever. At least, not while he was still alive and kicking.

He then meets Lucy Heartfilia, and instantly his whole world changes. For some reason or another, he felt more attached to her than any other rookie mage the guild seemed to attract. He offers her to form a team with him and Happy, he practically makes it a routine to barge into her home and hang out with her, and he just _cannot _seem to get her out of his head.

Eventually, this fascination with the Celestial Mage quickly turns into infatuation, which immediately becomes a problem. Not the fact that the Dragon Slayer was slowly but surely falling for the blonde, no he actually doesn't mind that in the least. The problem is that people who become attached to things instantly break once they lose them.

Natsu cannot afford to lose Lucy.

While he still loathes the idea of losing his comrades and makes it his own personal mission to keep them alive and safe, he stays extra close to his partner to make sure _she _doesn't pull any crazy stunts that would cost her life.

He does a pretty good job…until Edolas.

Natsu and Wendy are captured by royal guards, but Lucy is nowhere in sight. When he demands to know where his friend is, one guy named Hughes told him that the girl was of no use to them, therefore she was to be executed.

Natsu was furious. How dare they try and kill her. If only he had his magic in this godforsaken world, then every single one of them would be smoldering piles of ashes.

Later on, he is relieved to find out she is safe and all right, but that moment of slight fear and worry made him try and keep a closer eye on her.

But then the chaos that was the S-class Exams happens and Natsu's fear of losing Lucy intensifies tenfold.

Grimoire Heart invades the sacred ground of Fairy Tail and all out war begins. Natsu was trailing Ultear until he comes across Lucy and a mage by the name of Kain Hikaru. He, Happy, and Lucy then proceed to reform their team to take on the oversized mage.

Natsu would admit that things could have gone more smoothly, considering Lucy's DNA was attached to some voodoo doll, forcing the two partners to fight each other. Later in the battle, before Natsu even knew it, he was under a large pile of rocks and Lucy was on the ground about to get her skull crushed by Kain.

He could practically feel a chunk of his heart break every time his precious nakama was brutally beaten, adding salt to the wound when she refused to leave him and run away by herself.

_It's always more fun when we're together, _she had said. Natsu couldn't feel any more powerless. He was _losing _her and he didn't know what to do. Hell, he didn't even realize that he could just _break _the damn boulders and save her from her torture. He does, thankfully, think of a plan and Lucy was once again safe and away from danger.

Even with this knowledge, Natsu knew something changed. He knew he had finally fallen in love with his best friend and if another incident like with Kain happened again, he would be broken beyond repair. He absolutely _refuses _to let that happen.

Everything on Tenrou Island eventually blows over and things seem to be going back to normal. However, Fate is a cruel mistress who just absolutely adores making Natsu's life all the more harder for him.

Acnologia attacks the island and the first master, Mavis Vermillion, puts the core members of the guild into a seven-year sleep. Once awake, Lucy learns her father had passed a month prior. Natsu was there for her and assured her he would always be there for her.

The Grand Magic Games happen next and life for Natsu and Lucy spiral down further and further, especially for the Celestial Mage. She loses the first day's match (and on her _birthday _nonetheless), was mercilessly tortured by Sabertooth's Minnerva, had been thrown into prison, and on top of it all, meets her future self who reveals the future will be in turmoil thanks to an apocalypse involving ten thousand dragons! The poor girl can never catch a break!

Everything gets a lot harder to handle when Future Rogue shows up to kill Lucy, only halfway completing his job thanks to Future Lucy, who throws herself in front of her past self to protect her. She dies in her present self's arms, her last words begging for her friends to protect the future.

Natsu just stares in shock, mind reeling. Even though she wasn't _his _Lucy, even though this Lucy said that the present one will still live on and she would have disappeared anyway, it still hurt.

No, hurt was an understatement. He was absolutely _distraught_.

She was right there. _Right there _and he didn't do anything to try and stop the blade from impaling her. He couldn't even react properly as Happy and the present Lucy cried their eyes out for her fallen body. He wanted to scream at the world, he wanted to just let it all go and set everything on fire but he couldn't. All he could do was think about how much of a failure he was.

The girl he swore to protect, the one person he puts above all the rest, _the one he loves_ was dying, saying goodbye to him and everyone else and he just couldn't manage to say it back to her. To tell her everything on his mind.

He does get his bearings once the future Rogue starts talking again and states that the present Lucy should die as well.

_Like fucking hell he'd let that happen! _He lost her once and he'd be _damned_ if he let it happen again. He _will not _witness another farewell form her!

These thoughts keep him going, even as Future Rogue's shadows try to eat away at his half conscious body, Ultear and Meredy's voices begging him to wake up. He manages to regain consciousness and tells them he made a promise to his best friend that he would protect the future. _H__er future_.

Natsu hates goodbyes, so he will try everything in his power to make sure his most precious person never says it to him again.

o0o

**I'm so paranoid this is written weird. Was it written weird? I would really like some constructive criticism for future reference (as in if Mashima keeps making his manga chapters sad and heartbreaking, which will give me fic inspiration).**

**Anyways, review and tell me what you thought. See ya for actual NaLu Week!**


	5. Birthday

**HAPPY NALU WEEK EVERYBODY 8D Thank to everyone who has reviewed, ****favorited, alerted, etc. I really appreciate it!**

**So... I both like this and don't like this oneshot. At first I wanted to do something a little different than the regular routine when it comes to stories about it being Lucy's birthday, but after looking back at this oneshot now, I really think I could have done better... I don't know I guess I'm paranoid. However, since I wrote it a while ago with no thought of changing it, I figured I'd post it and see what you guys think.**

**Without any ado, here is the first legit prompt, "Birthday."**

**Disclaimer: **I even procrastinate stuff _want _to do, you expect me to deliver 3 consecutive chapters of Fairy Tail in _one day?! _Nope, only Mashima is able to do that!

o0o

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy bustled into the blonde's apartment, laughing merrily and carrying tons of packages and presents in their arms. Today was Lucy's birthday and while she insisted that nobody should make a big deal out of it, her nakama would have none of it. They threw the biggest party Lucy had ever seen which included balloons, streamers, cake, booze, and other aspects that only Fairy Tail would have.

Her guildmates also showered her in gifts they bought just for her birthday. Most of the girls (and some guys with a little feminine help) got her jewelry, clothes, shoes, and what not; Erza presented her a sword in the style of a key and special lessons on how to properly handle it (Lucy didn't know whether to be excited or scared at the fact _Erza _was offering her weapon lessons); Levy got her a book that was signed by her favorite author; Gajeel sang her a special song on his guitar; Gray and Juvia worked together to make her a special ice sculpture in the form of her with her Celestial Spirits; and many, many more gifts that the girl didn't know what to do with.

However, her favorite gift of all was from Natsu and Happy. They had crashed into the guild with a large box, excitedly telling Lucy to hurry up and open it. She didn't know what to expect when she did open it and inside was another box, then another, then another, _then another_, to the point she got fed up.

"What the hell, guys?! Did you even get me a present?!" she had yelled at them after the sixth box had been opened and another was sitting at her feet.

"Of course we did, silly!" the dragon slayer grinned, "You just have to keep going!"

After huffing and cursing her two friends, she continued on, eventually arriving at a small rectangular box. Picking it up and noticing the excited and slightly nervous looks on her partners' faces, she smiled at them and undid the ribbon.

Upon looking at what was inside she gasped, "Oh, my gosh you guys got me a spirit key?"

Seeing the girl's broad smile, the two straightened up proudly and spoke, "Aye!"

"We looked everywhere for the perfect gift," Natsu had said, "Eventually, Happy and me came across this run down magic shop this old guy was selling. He had a couple keys on sale, so we bought one that looked really cool!"

"Aye, Natsu was going on and on about how he was hoping it would be a dragon or something cooler," Happy added, looking excited about what the possibility of what the key could hold.

Lucy giggled at how childish and innocent the two looked, "Thanks guys, but I don't think it's a dragon."

"Aww is it really not?" Natsu pouted.

"Is it a fish instead?" Happy asked bouncing up and down in his seat in joy at the possibility.

The spirit mage laughed, "No, sorry Happy, it is actually the key to Pegasus, the Flying Horse."

After minutes of explaining that yes, it is a form of transportation and therefore he cannot fly on him and no, she will not let Natsu fight him, the festivities continued and Lucy had experienced the best birthday she had ever experienced.

Cut to right at this moment where the blonde was setting her load of presents to one side of her room and advising her friends to do the same.

"Thanks again for the party and present you guys. I was honestly expecting this year to be as boring and uneventful as all the others."

The pink haired boy grinned, "You're welcome, Lucy. We're nakama and we'll always be there for you."

Lucy blushed, touched by Natsu's words, "Thank you. So when should I expect to celebrate your birthday?"

There was a small pause where Natsu almost looked…_uncomfortable_, but thankfully Happy intercepted with, "Mine is in a couple of weeks, Lucy! You should buy me a great big fish!"

Lucy giggled, "Of course, Happy, whatever you want, but what about your birthday Natsu?"

There was another pause before Natsu finally spoke, "I don't have one."

Lucy looked shocked. Okay, sure, she expected him not to really know the _exact _date considering he spent his first few years with a dragon (hell, the boy doesn't even know how old he is!), but shouldn't the guild at least make him up one? She decided to ask about that to which the boy merely shrugged.

"Gramps was going to make it the day I joined the guild, but I kept forgetting what the date was so I told everyone to forget about it. Besides, what's the point if I don't even know how old I am?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Who cares if you don't know your age? What matters is, is that we celebrate that you are a part of this earth and that we are happy you're in it!"

Natsu was surprised. Normally when the subject of giving him a birthday came up, he would brush it off and tell everyone that he didn't care. As a matter of fact, he really didn't. So he was another year older, big deal. Heck, even Lucy tried to hide her birthday from everyone, but they later found out that it was because birthdays were a painful reminder of her father. So, as a result, they made it the biggest, happiest party they could muster up. And it worked if today was any indication!

Lucy was still waiting for a reply, so he decided to say the first thing that came to mind, "When would it be?"

"When do you want it to be?"

"I don't know." Lucy face-palmed, of course he wouldn't have any idea if the aspect of a birthday never really crossed his mind! She turned to Happy to see if he had any ideas, only to lose sight of him.

"Where'd he—?"

"Kitchen," Natsu replied quickly before her question was even asked.

"Stupid cat better not—Guahh never mind him, this is about YOU!" she huffed, turning her attention back to her best friend. As Mavis as her witness, she will find him a day to celebrate his birth! Thinking quickly, she thought about the best days that would fit with Natsu.

"How about June 21st? The first day of summer since your name is Natsu," she said after a minute.

Natsu shrugged unenthusiastically, "Okay."

"No, no, not just 'okay.' You need to be excited about this!"

"But Luce, I—"

"Quiet and let me think… Hmmm, April 1?" Lucy said after a minute of thinking. The first of April is where some people prank others. That seemed to fit the boy's jokester habit.

"No."

Lucy was taken aback by his bluntness, "Oh, well, okay then. Uhh, how about maybe somewhere in the middle of July? If we can calculate it right, we should be able to figure out if it was the day you joined the guild. That was what Master wanted at first, right?"

Natsu sighed before replying, "Look, Luce, I appreciate you doing this, but it's fine that I don't have a birthday. Half the guild doesn't celebrate their birthdays, so why should I?"

Lucy glared at him, "Damnit Natsu, quit being difficult! I will find you a birthday and we will celebrate it together even if I have to make it—" she paused when it finally came to her, "THAT'S IT!"

Natsu watched as Lucy practically ran into her kitchen. What was that weirdo doing? Deciding that he hated standing around, he plopped on the blonde's comfy bed and lied back.

A couple minutes later, he heard shuffling and raised himself up to see both Lucy and Happy carry a slice of Lucy's leftover birthday cake, a burning candle on top of it. The two were singing "Happy Birthday" while wearing big smiles on their faces as they walked toward him.

"What are you weirdos doing?" he asked as his friend's placed the cake in front of him.

"Well, I remember Happy telling me that you two spent a good month trying to find that key for my birthday, which means you knew when it was. I figured that since you remembered and we enjoy our time together, maybe we should share my birthday," Lucy explained and gave him a heart-stopping grin. Natsu just stared at her.

"No way. This is you birthday! I can't just have it too!" he protested. This is Lucy's day and Lucy's day only. Why should he ruin it?

"I honestly don't care," Lucy replied, "There's no rule that says two or more people can't share a birthday. So, as of today, I, Lucy Heartphilia, declare that on July first we shall celebrate both Natsu Dragneel's and my day of birth. All in favor say 'Aye!'"

"Aye!" Happy cried out. Natsu was about to protest more when he noticed the defiant look in his friend's eyes.

"…Aye," he muttered, then grinned his signature grin as he crushed the blonde in a tight embrace, "Thanks Lucy."

"No problem," she said as she returned the hug, "Anything for my nakama."

They stayed like that for a while before they heard the cough of certain blue cat, "Are you two going to kiss, or what, 'cause I really want to eat this cake now!"

Natsu laughed as he dug into _his_ birthday cake and watch Lucy chase the exceed around the apartment for "ruining the moment," or something like that.

Lucy was right, this was the best birthday ever!

o0o

**Like I said, this could be better, but of course, I'm probably just paranoid. If you did like it, review and tell me your thoughts!**

**See you all tomorrow, thanks for reading! :)**

**Edit: Change the Key Lucy receives because of reasons. It was my intention to make it Pegasus from the start but for some reason I changed it in the final product. So basically, I just now realized that a Pegasus Spirit was better. Anyways, sorry for that and hope you enjoyed the rest of ****the story.**


	6. Fairy Tale

**Hey guys! This prompt is extra special today because it is a lot longer than all the previous ones (close to 4500 words without the author's notes to be exact). And this story also has Daddy!Natsu and three of his and Lucy's babies (well one is more prominent than the other two but they are mentioned every now and then). So I hope you enjoy this one!**

**Disclaimer: **Mashima doesn't even speak English, so why would he be writing fanfiction in the English Language?

o0o

Natsu was rummaging his kitchen for a late-night snack when his sharp hearing picked up the pitter-patter of feet.

_Most likely Igneel and Jude trying to sneak into the cookie jar again… _He thought with a chuckle. He remembered the night when he and Lucy heard a crash in their kitchen and immediately sprang out of bed and into action only to find their twin boys trying to clean up the broken glass and crumble sweets that were knocked to the floor. Lucy was furious, but Natsu laughed in good nature. After all, they were _his _kids too.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his pants. Not turning around from the fridge he said, "Ig, Jude, you know what you're mama says about sugar before bed."

"I'm not Igneel or Jude, Daddy!" came the high-pitched reply and Natsu finally looked around to see his youngest, Layla, looking at him with vibrant green eyes and a cute pout on her lips.

"Oh, hehe, sorry La. I expected your brothers to be up at this hour," he then closed the refrigerator and gave her a curious look, "Why _are _you up at this hour? You're not sick are you?"

Layla shook her head, strawberry blonde tresses flying every which way. "I was wondering if Mama was home yet."

Natsu sighed. Earlier that week, Mirajane and Erza had offered to take Lucy and a few of the other women to a weekend spa trip. Since Lucy hadn't had a break from her chaotic (but _loving _Natsu always reminded her) family in a long time, she quickly agreed. They left the day before, leaving Natsu to babysit his mischievous twin sons and doting daughter.

"Honey, you know Mama won't be back until tomorrow afternoon," he told her trying to be gentle since Layla was only six and still prone to bouts of crying fits.

Her pout increased, "But I can't sleep. Not without her telling me a bedtime story."

Natsu rose an eyebrow at her, "You slept fine last night."

"Not really. I had Jude read me something, but it still wasn't the same! He was mostly doing it so I would leave him alone and he isn't as good at telling them as Mama is."

Natsu chuckled. While Jude did take a good amount of Lucy's genetics—including a love for literature—he will admit that he wasn't as good with story telling as Lucy was. Hell, Natsu was pretty sure _nobody _was as good a storyteller as his wife!

"So what do you want?" he asked her. He could try to use a lacrima phone to contact the spa Lucy was at, but since it was almost midnight, he doubted there would be anyone who would answer.

"I want _you _to tell me a bedtime story," Layla said with finality.

Now Natsu was confused, "Ehhh? Silly girl, you just said you couldn't sleep unless Mama tells the story."

"But Daddy has been with Mama _forever _so he might be able to tell me a story!" she said triumphantly with a wide grin, as if she solved all the world's problems.

Natsu chuckled at his daughter's enthusiasm. He highly doubts he can tell a good story as well as his wife, but since his little girl has so much faith in him, he feels like he could do anything!

Scooping Layla up, Natsu said, "If Daddy's girl wants a story, then that's what Daddy will give her!"

"Yay!" the six-year-old cheered as her father walked into her room and set her on the bed. He moved to the bookshelf and started skimming titles.

"What would you like to hear?" he asked her.

"Hmm," she put on a thinking pose, eyes closed and hand poised on her chin before her face morphed into a delighted grin, "I got it! Make up a story!"

_Oh hell. _Reading a story is one thing (all Natsu has to do is make funny voices until Layla is out like a light), however, _making up _a story is where he always runs short. This is why Lucy is the author of the family!

But if she wants a story, who is he to refuse?

"Er, okay," he said as he sat on her bed, wracking his brain for what he could say. Deciding to just wing it like he always does he began, "Once upon a time there was a—uhm…"

Okay, who was always the center of stories like these? He thought about his wife and immediately grinned at an idea.

"A princess!" he said and mentally patted himself on the back at the awed look on Layla's face, "Yeah, a princess who was locked up in this big tower by her strict father."

"Ooooh, is this like Rapunzel?" Layla asked as she bounced excitedly on the bed. Maybe _she _was the one who snuck sugar before bed and not her brothers.

"Rap-what?" Natsu asked, completely lost. Damn it, he knew he should've paid attention to all those Fairy Tales Lucy told him and Happy. But it was really hard to pay attention when her brown eyes got so enchanted as she read and her voice would say these simple words when really it was like a whole different world she was painting to him and—

Damn he misses his wife.

Shaking his head of his thoughts he told Layla, "Yeah, it's kind of like that, but different. This story has a dragon in it!" Because all cool stories have dragons, duh.

"Like Grandpa Igneel? And Uncle Atlas?"

"Yeah except not as old," he knew he would be roasted if his adoptive father and uncle heard him, but he'll worry about that later.

"What's the Princess' name? Why did her father put her in a tower? Was the dragon protecting her?" Layla spouted off question after question making Natsu's head spin.

"Whoa, hold on kiddo, I just started the story a minute ago and now you want back-story? Be patient, I'm getting there," he chuckled at her pout and continued with his impromptu tale.

0o0

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Lucy.

_("You named her after mama?"_

"_Of course! She was technically, sort of a princess before.")_

However, Princess Lucy didn't like being a princess. She wanted to leave her royal status behind and go out to see what else the world could offer her. After many failed attempts to escape the confinements of her castle, her father, the King, decided to punish his daughter and lock her in a tall tower that was protected by an enchanted dragon. He then decreed that whoever could slay the dragon and rescue his daughter would become Lucy's husband and the next King of the land.

Unfortunately for potential suitors, the dragon the King placed on guard was a very powerful one. Its roar would make even the bravest weak in their knees, its breath of blazing fire could shatter the mightiest defenses, and its devoted loyalty to the Princess knew no bounds.

_("Are you saying the Dragon loved the Princess, Daddy?"_

"_Maybe…")_

Once Princess Lucy realized her guard's devotion to her was not because of her father but because the dragon truly cared for her, she decided to befriend him. After all, it got very lonely in her own personal prison.

"Can you speak?" she asked him one day.

The beast's mouth turned upwards into a smile and to Lucy's surprise, he answered.

"Yep!"

There was a pause before the Princess cried out, "Wait a minute! I've been in this tower for months—almost a year—and you just now decided to talk to me!"

The dragon gave her a blank look, "Well you never asked before, you weirdo."

"I'm not the weirdo! You are, you stupid dragon!"

"That's mean Lucy."

_(…_

"_What?"_

"_This really is you and Mama isn't it?"_

"_No, honey, it is Princess Lucy and her Dragon Protector. Now hush so I can finish the story.")_

Over time, Lucy and her dragon (who told her his name was Natsu) kept getting closer and closer. They would talk all day, tell each other stories, and share just about anything else they wanted the other to know. It wasn't long before the Princess found out that a life without Natsu wasn't really much of a life, and because he has been undefeated since the beginning of her sentence to this tower, she was content about the possibility of being with him for the rest of her life.

"Why can't I just marry you?" she whispered to herself as she watched him scare off more of her potential suitors.

"What was that Lucy?" he asked as he turned his head to her in question. Lucy slapped her hand over her mouth. She did not mean for him to hear that, and really, it was a stupid musing in and of itself. Seriously, wanting to marry a dragon? How blasphemous could she be?

"N-Nothing. Just rambling to myself," she assured him but she could tell he didn't believe her.

"You know," he began as he slumped on the ground while looking up at where she was perched on her window, "There is a reason I'm an _enchanted _dragon."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, "Didn't you tell me that you are enchanted because you could speak human and that my father hired some wizard put a spell on you to make you this tower's personal guard?"

"Well yeah," he said like he was talking to a small child, "But there are other reasons why I'm enchanted."

"And you're just _now _telling me this!"

"I didn't think it was important."

The Princess huffed, "Natsu, you're being really stupid now."

"Hey, don't be like that! Do you want to know what _else _makes me enchanted or not?"

Lucy giggled at her best friend. He almost looked like he was giving her a pout, which she realized was really cute of him. Shaking her head of her thoughts, Lucy gave him a nod, "Sorry, sorry. Tell me, what _else _makes the Great and Almighty Dragon enchanted?"

The dragon sat up straight and puffed out his chest, almost looking proud of himself, "Well, you see—"

"ALAS FAIR MAIDEN, YOU'RE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR HAS ARRIVED!"

Natsu and Lucy turned their attention to the obnoxious voice and were surprised to see a brown haired man in steel armor riding on a pristine white horse. Natsu snorted smoke in frustration.

"Are you _serious_? I thought I was done with you pansy-ass princes for the day!"

"You dare talk to the valiant Dan Straight like that, you treacherous beast?" the knight yelled, jumping off of his steed and pointing his lance at Natsu, "I am here to defeat you and save Princess LuLu-chama so I may have her hand in marriage!"

"LuLu-chama?" Lucy mused with slight disgust. Seriously, who was this guy?

Natsu rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Lucy, "I'll handle this guy, Luce. Just stay there and watch me kick his ass."

"As if I didn't have any other choice…" she muttered but shrugged and leaned against her window. After all, this would be a short battle and once it was over, she and Natsu could finish the conversation they were having.

The dragon and the knight squared off against each other. Natsu, obviously wanting to end this fight as quickly as possible, used his signature move: his breath attack. He watched as his flames engulfed Dan Straight and smirked at the possibility of seeing charred remains, however, before Natsu knew it, his Fire Dragon's Roar was moving right back at him. Not expecting this turn in the least, the plume of fire hit him dead on.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried out as she witnessed her friend trying to shake off his own flames. Meanwhile, Dan was on the other side of the battlefield, not even a simple ash covering his metallic armor.

"What the hell was that?" Natsu asked, finally recovering from the shock of his own attack betraying him.

Dan indicated to his shield, "This, you vile beast, is my magic shield Ricochet. It is specially made to where any attack that is inflicted on it goes right back to the owner. In other words, your attacks are useless."

His explanation sent a wave of uneasiness through Lucy. _Could Natsu actually lose this battle?_

As if sensing her discomfort, Natsu turned back to his princess, "Don't worry, Luce. I've been through worse, trust me. I won't let him take you away from me."

The dragon's words did their job and made Lucy a little more relieved, "I trust you, my dragon. Please be careful."

"BLASPHEMOUS!" Dan screeched, ruining the two friend's moment much to their annoyance, "Could it be that this disgusting creature has bewitched the beautiful Princess into falling for him! Never fear my darling Lu-myun, I shall kill the dragon and save you from this putrid curse!"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY?!" Natsu growled and attacked Dan with a swipe of his large tail. Thankfully, Dan did not have enough time to dodge or use his shield, so Natsu got a direct hit. The knight flew and hit the dense tree line.

Dan sprung to his feet and with a determined look on his face, he charged at the mighty dragon, Natsu more than ready for him as he counter attacked each job from his lance and carefully dodged any attacks that were ricocheted back to him.

Lucy watched as the two went back and forth. While she did trust Natsu, she still could not help but worry. While her dragon did have similar fights where it looked like he may lose, he always managed to pull through in the end. However, unlike those other battles, Natsu didn't have to worry about his own attacks striking him as well, and from what she remembered from their many conversations, only dragon magic could kill a dragon. And right now, Natsu looked _very _exhausted.

"Do you give up yet, Dragon?" Dan questioned as he struck with his lance.

"As if," Natsu replied as he intercepted the blow with his wing, "I'd rather die than have the likes of you take Lucy!"

"_That _can be arranged!" he shouted as he ducked and rolled until he was under Natsu's belly. Since it is an awkward position, Natsu couldn'tt quite pinpoint where Dan was to attack, and if he moved away, Dan would just move with him.

Lucy squinted her eyes to get a better view of the battle and gasped when she located Dan brandishing a long, dangerous looking dagger.

"NATSU! LOOK OUT!"

Before the dragon could process the princess's words, Dan managed to trip him with his lance, causing Natsu to topple over and onto his side. As a last minute idea, Natsu breathed a plume of fire, only for it to unfortunately be dealt back to him thanks to that blasted shield. As Natsu was trying to recover from his own attack, Dan sprinted up to him and with all his might, he thrust his dagger into Natsu's stomach causing the poor dragon to cry out the most pained and heartbreaking cry Lucy had ever heard escape his lips.

"_NATSU!_" she screeched and ran to her chamber doors, trying in vain to break down the barrier that was locked from the outside. When that failed to work, she sprinted back to her window and tried to climb over the tower's wall.

"No, Princess that is dangerous! I know you are eager to meet your savior but let me unlock the door for you—"

"_Can it already!_" she snarled from her hanging position, "Just get me out of here and to my dragon!"

Despite her words, Dan did as he was told, going inside the tower and making his way up the stairs. Once at Lucy's chamber door, he found the hidden key the King had told all potential suitors about and unlocked the door. Before he could grab his prize, Lucy shoved him out of the way and made her way down to where Natsu still laid in pain.

"Natsu, are you going to be alright?" she asked but immediately scolded herself for the stupidity of her question. He was practically _writhing in pain_, of course he wasn't going to be alright!

Natsu gave a bitter chuckle, "You Weirdo, of…of course I'm going to be…alright! It's…just a flesh…wound," his breathing became haggard and when he coughed, blood came up and onto the green grass. Lucy felt tears well up in her eyes and glared at the man who did this to her precious friend.

"What kind of weapon did you use?! It just looks like an ordinary dagger, it shouldn't have been able to put Natsu in a state like this!"

Dan had the decency to look sympathetic, "You see Princess, just like my shield, the dagger was magic. I had a wizard make it to where it could kill any enemy that I wished. He said that it could kill them from the inside out."

The explanation horrified Lucy. Kill his enemies from the inside out? No… Then that means she really _would _lose Natsu.

"No… NO! I absolutely _refuse _to believe he will leave me!" she ran up to her dragon and wrapped her arms as best as she could around his neck, "I won't let you leave me alone!"

"Lucy…" Natsu breathed. To be honest, the Princess's tear streaked face hurt him a lot more than some stupid magic dagger wound.

"Princess Lucy," Dan started as he slowly approached her, his face completely solemn and serious, "I am sorry to have brought you so much sorrow, but I had to do what I had to do. The dragon is dying, and I am ordered to bring you home to your father."

"_I refuse!_" she said with finality, giving him another glare, "Go back and tell my father, I don't care. Just leave me alone so I can have my last moments with Natsu!"

Heaving a sigh, Dan complied and mounted his steed. Lucy didn't even acknowledge his retreating form as she continued to cry and mourn her one and only true friend.

"Lucy…" Natsu breathed again only to get cut off by said girl.

"Shhh, don't speak. Save your energy." The last thing she wanted was to lose him too soon.

"But I need to tell you something. It's important."

His insistency made Lucy's already broken heart hurt even more. She nodded, "Okay, what is it you want to tell me?"

Natsu gave a weak grin as he spoke, "I want you to know that you're the best friend I have ever had. You are really kind and compassionate and just really fun to hang out with. I would've protected you forever if I could."

If Lucy wasn't sobbing already she sure as hell was full out bawling now. His words were too sweet and too much like a permanent goodbye.

"Natsu, please—"

"Let me finish! I also want you to know that even though you're a Princess and royalty and all that other stuff, you are still Lucy to me and nothing could ever change that," he closed his eyes and Lucy was scared they wouldn't open again, but was relieved when they did and had a determined look in them.

"I love you Lucy. I always have and I always will, don't forget it."

With that, he closed his eyes again and she felt his breathing slow down to a stop. Panic instantly settled within Lucy.

"Natsu? Natsu no, you can't… You can't just die like that! Not without me giving you a proper farewell also!" she cried to him, her voice cracking and choking with each sob that left her throat, "You are also my best friend. The only true friend I've ever had! Even though you can be an idiot, you are understanding, loyal, and fun to be around. I was glad that you always defeated those ignorant suitors because I would rather live in this tower than to be apart from you. You cannot leave me because I need to tell you that _I love you too!_"

She sat there next to him, crying until she couldn't cry anymore. As she looked to his motionless body, she decided to give in and place a soft kiss to his scaly face. When she pulled her lips away, she sniffed and curled herself into his massive body. She didn't care how long she would lie there with him, not even giving a thought to the fact that Dan Straight was probably telling her father of his victory and of her whereabouts to be taken home. As long as she was close to her dragon, she was fine.

o0o

"…"

"…What?"

"_That's it?!_" Layla yelled at her father, slamming her fists on her comforter and giving her father a glare similar to her mother's, "_That's _how you end the story? Killing the dragon and making the princess miserable? What kind of story is that?!"

Natsu tried to placate his daughter's anger, "Hold on, La, the story isn't even over yet."

Layla stopped in her mini tantrum and gave her father a curious look, "It's not?"

"Nope," he replied with a toothy grin, "We still got the great finale!"

o0o

When Lucy woke up from her sorrow-induced sleep, she noticed two things. One, it appeared to be very early in the morning—she must have slept all night by Natsu's body. And two, she was no longer curled up beside her faithful dragon, but instead in the arms of a man. A man who she did not know.

The princess gave a piercing shriek and scrambled away form the stranger. Looking around her surroundings, she realized that Natsu's lifeless body was nowhere to be seen. The unknown man awoke from her scream and rubbed his eyes of sleep.

"Luuucy! Why are you shouting so early in the—OW! What was that for?!" the stranger said as Lucy began to assault him with her fists. He managed to move away from her attacks and gave her a questioning look. Lucy wouldn't let him speak though since she had questions of her own.

"Who are you? How do you know my name? Why was I in your arms? And more importantly, _what did you do with Natsu?_"

The man blinked at the glaring girl for a second before saying, "What are you going on about, Luce? I _am _Natsu."

They were silent for a moment, scrutinizing each other. Lucy was the first to react by smacking the man claiming to be her best friend.

"_Impossible! _Natsu's a _dragon_. How can you be him?"

It was in that moment that the man looked down at himself. Lucy saw his face change in a myriad of expressions, from confused to shocked then suddenly to outright _joy _as he began to laugh a hearty, boisterous laugh.

"You did it, Luce!" he exclaimed as he ran to the blonde and crushed her body to his, lifting her up and spinning her around until she couldn't see straight, "You broke the curse!"

He stopped spinning and set her back to the ground, giving her a face-splitting grin. It took a while for the world to stop spinning, but once Lucy retrieved her bearings she looked to him and asked, "What on earth are you _talking _about? What curse? What did I do? And you still haven't answered my questions!"

Natsu chuckled, "Silly Lucy, I told you didn't I? I _am _Natsu, the _Enchanted _Dragon, remember?"

Finally, Lucy took a good, hard look at this person. He was a few inches taller than her; had spiky, rose colored hair that was shades lighter than her dragon friend's scales; his eyes were slanted with hazel green orbs staring at her adoringly (she had to stop herself from staring too deeply into them); and finally, she looked at his broad grin. Sure enough, she caught the sight of fangs and that was when she knew. He _is _her Natsu!

"It really is you," she whispered, a fresh batch of tears rolling down your cheeks, "_You are Natsu!_"

She tackled him to the ground with a hug, blubbering to him her worries and relief while he returned her embrace, a softer smile on his lips as he stroked her hair. The touching moment didn't last long however, as Natsu was—once again—struck by Lucy.

"Why do you keep hitting me?!"

"Because you're an _idiot_! How come you never told me you were human?! All of this could have been avoided!"

"I was going to tell you yesterday, but that ass-hat of a knight interrupted us!" he said causing Lucy to recall their conversation the day prior. So that's what he was going to tell her?

"Besides," Natsu continued, "I didn't tell you earlier because this curse my family and I were put under doesn't allow us to tell of our true forms until we meet the love of our lives or some crap like that. I didn't know for sure if you were my true love so I didn't say anything. Also, it would've really sucked if I told you and you flat out rejected me. I actually _like _being with you.

"But when that Dan guy hit me with that magic weapon, I knew I was done for, so I thought, 'I should just tell her so I don't die with any regrets.' Next thing I know, you're screaming and I'm human! Which means…"

He left the sentence hanging which meant he wanted Lucy to finish it for him. She smiled at him and said, "I returned your feelings."

Natsu nodded and slowly lowered his head toward hers to where they were eye to eye, "I love you, Lucy."

"I love you too, Natsu."

With that they sealed their confession with a kiss. Once they were through, they went back to Lucy's home to tell her father that the Princess has chosen to marry and rule the kingdom with Natsu, however, first they would travel the world and go on adventures since Natsu wanted to find his other family members. It would take a while for the king to comply, but eventually everything would end up right for the two lovers from then on out.

And, in the end, they lived happily ever after.

o0o

"The End!" Natsu finished. He stared at his now sleeping daughter and checked the clock on her bedroom wall, which read that it was a little past one in the morning.

_Lucy would kill me if she found out Layla stayed up this late. Oh well, it was worth it! _He thought, and with one last kiss goodnight to his darling daughter, he exited her room and to the kitchen.

"Telling fairy tales works up an appetite. Maybe I'll have—_Igneel! Jude! What did we tell you two about sugar before bed?!_"

In the end, only stories get a clichéd "Happily ever after," but Natsu would beg to differ.

Because despite the chaos and hardships, he wouldn't have his life any other way. This is his happily ever after.

o0o

**Kind of rushed the ending of this because by that point I was just trying to wrap everything up so it wouldn't get longer. A few things I want to ****address:**

**1) I know the names of the children aren't very original, but I like the idea of Natsu and Lucy naming their kids after their deceased family members.**

**2) One of my favorite parts of the anime filler arc was Dan Straight so I couldn't resist putting him in this story as well XD**

**3) I didn't include his lance's shrinking ability because I couldn't really find a way to make it fit with the battle, so let's just assume he either gets the magic lance after Natsu's Fairy Tale ends or not at all.**

**4) Also just _had _to mention Uncle Atlas Flame because I love that dragon! Can Mashima bring him back?**

**Well, that's all. Review and tell me what you think okay? See you NaLu fans tomorrow!**


	7. Cuddle

**Hey guys! Day three is here and another daily dose of NaLu for you :)**

**Consider this oneshot a prequel to the "Sleep" chapter. It is short and sweet and to the point so I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **No, I don't own Fairy Tail. I am so sick of telling you guys that.

o0o

"No."

Natsu raised an eyebrow at a scowling Lucy and widened his already open arms, "Aww come on Luce, you've been complaining about your apartment being cold so what better way to help than to warm you up with my fire magic!"

Even though his plan was pretty innocent, Lucy still couldn't help but blush because, well, Natsu was basically offering to _hug _her all winter!

"Couldn't you just use your fire to keep the fireplace going? At the very least, you could just walk around the apartment and it'll get warmer. There's no need for...what you suggested."

Natsu raised his eyebrows once again, obviously confused by her negotiations, "What? Cuddling?"

_Did he have to use that word? _Lucy thought as she shuddered with the idea of doing...that with her best friend of all people.

"Y-Yeah, that," she said wishing the ground would just swallow her up already, "Look, it's nothing personal but I don't want to take up all of your time just because I get cold easily."

Natsu gave Lucy a reassuring look and grinned, "I don't mind. I like staying at your place."

"Aye Lucy! It would be like a really long sleepover!" Happy exclaimed as he flew over their heads.

Lucy's jaw dropped. Happy will be with them all winter as well, which means...

_IT WILL BE NOTHING BUT ENDLESS TEASING! AND IF NATSU AND I DO ANYTHING AWKWARD OR SUGGESTIVE THIS DAMN CAT WILL LET EVERYONE AT THE GUILD KNOW!_

She cannot allow this to happen.

Pulling Natsu away from his stance on the floor and Happy by his tail, the blonde dragged them to the window.

"I appreciate the concern, but it really isn't a big deal. I can manage a little chilly home, so please leave my apartment and I'll see you at the guild tomorrow."

Much to her chagrin, Natsu planted his feet firmly on the ground, stopping Lucy's plans to get rid of him, "No Lucy. You are my nakama and I will make sure you don't freeze to death. It would be like you lost to Gray of all people! You're stronger than that!"

The girl doesn't know whether to be flattered that he call her strong or roll her eyes that he compared the weather to his rival. Still, Natsu was stubborn and that _is _one of the many things she likes about him.

She sighed, "One night. I'll let you two stay one night. Then we'll play it by ear afterwards."

"Yay!" the Dragon Slayer and his exceed cheered. Before Lucy knew it, she was swept in her best friend's arms and onto the bed.

"HEY NOW, DON'T GET TOO COZY!"

"Haha Lucy you're so weird."

"What does _that _have to do with anything?"

There was no response and Lucy realized it was because Natsu chose that time to fall asleep...with his arms still around her.

Lucy pouted with pink cheeks as she stared at the blue cat who was making himself comfortable at the other side of the bed, "This was all a ploy to get into my bed, wasn't it?"

"Aye!" he said all too happily.

"Stupid cuddle whore Dragon Slayer," she mumbled, huffing and trying to pry herself from him. She then heard Happy giggle from his spot on her bed.

"Natsu liiiiiikes you, Lucy. Kukuku."

"Just shut up and go to sleep."

o0o

In the morning, Lucy wakes up still in Natsu's arms restful and warmer than she has been in the last couple of weeks.

As she stares at her best friend's still sleeping face, she can't help but let a smile adorn her face.

"Oh well. It's just for the winter, how bad can it be?"

o0o

**Wait til summer Lucy and you'll think "How bad can it be?" lol Hope you all liked it! Leave a review and tell me what you think? Hopefully I get tomorrow's chapter up tomorrow morning before I go into my summer job, but if not then I'll try to get it updated by nighttime. See ya ^^**


	8. Protect

**Hey guys! So for this oneshot, it takes place in F!Lucy's time. 337 gave me major F!NaLu feels and i thought, "You know what this series of mine needs? F!NaLu AAAAAANNNNNGGGGSSSSTTT!" So hopefully I did good with it (I was making myself depressed writing it, so hopefully that means something).**

**Also since the whole time travel and future stuff is still iffy in canon, I took it upon myself to place what _I _figure happened in F!Lucy's time. For example, F!Rogue does not exist in this time (in the manga, F!Lucy does not know who he is or where he came from, and the timeline from 333 explained that the two are indeed from different timelines), so instead of seven dragons coming out of the eclipse gate, I assumed the whole ten thousand dragons came as an army on their own (possibly led by Acnologia, but again, it is all iffy). Just kind of my own headcanons that might be way off base.**

**Really, this is just me playing around, so if you don't think anything here is accurate, I apologized. Because in all honesty, I just wrote this for the angst.**

**Without any further ado, I present you NaLu week prompt four, "Protect."**

**Disclaimer: **Mashima isn't American and isn't bummed that it is raining on a day that that should be used for fireworks like I am!

o0o

_I'll always be here for you._

He tells her that. Every now and then after some dramatic moment has happened in her life (be it the Phantom incident, her father's unexpected death, or her fight with Flare) and all she wants to do is curl up and cry, he would pat her head, gives her a grin and says those words that manage to cheer her up, even for a little while.

He is her rock, her best friend, and her _protector_. Ever since the day they met, the boy with a knack for destruction and affinity for fire was with her, giving her encouraging words and saving her every now and then from certain threats.

_She took him for granted._

The words in her mind never take effect until that fateful day. The day they believed in their victory over the Grand Magic Games, took a devastating turn when a swarm of ten thousand dragons invaded Crocus. Everyone tried their best to fight back, but there were too many and they were strong. It seemed hopeless.

Despite the Celestial mage losing hope, Natsu would show up next to her, battered and bruised but sporting a reassuring grin on his face.

_"Don't worry, Lucy. We'll defeat these guys. That's what Dragon Slaying magic is for!"_

Lucy knew better, however. There was _ten thousand _of them and only one of him! How could he possible think they'd get out of this alive?

But she believed anyway, because this was Natsu. He has gotten out of hopeless situations before. He protected his nakama and gave hope in the hopeless. Everything would be fine...

Until it wasn't.

Everything is a blur after he shows up by her side. She vaguely remembers her right arm being in excruciating pain, Levy's cries for help as she cradles the large, lifeless body of Gajeel, and Natsu's outraged cries for her before everything goes black. When she comes to, the world around her was in a state of devastation and chaos. Dragons ruled the demolished city, roaring their cries of victory. However, Lucy couldn't focus on them...

Instead she focused on the body lying a few feet away from her. The lifeless body of her best friend to be exact.

She couldn't tell how long she stared at his corpse, his pink hair soaked with his blood that also stained his beloved scarf. She wasn't even aware of the dull ache of what was left of her right limb. All that mattered was the boy who died protecting her.

"You're an idiot." She whispered, hoping in vain he would give that obnoxious grin and call her a weirdo, "Dying trying to protect useless little me. You should have been selfish and let me die."

It isn't raining but for some reason there are droplets of water falling on Natsu's face. If Lucy were in a right state of mind, she would realize it was her own tears.

"But that's just like you Natsu," she continued, "You wouldn't have forgiven yourself if you let one of your friends die. You probably didn't even think about what your decisions would do to the people who _you _would leave behind."

She could feel the sobs rising up in her throat now, but she couldn't find it in her to care. After all, in situations like these it is okay to cry right?

So why does she feel so _useless_?!

"Lu-chan..."

She whips her face around to find an equally distraught Levy, wounds that were never there before now marring her pretty face. In her hands was what looked like a headband that didn't belong to the petite girl. Lucy suddenly recalls the Iron Dragon Slayer wearing it on the last day of the games and when the dragons attacked. Just like Lucy, Levy has lost her beloved as well...

Shakily, Lucy tries to raise herself off the ground with one hand, only to stumble back down and on Natsu's lifeless body. Levy quickly rushes to her best friend's side. Once there, she helps Lucy up and quickly embraces her.

"L-Lu-chan," she sobs into her best girl friend's arms, "It-It's awful! Jet... Droy... the Master... even Erza, Gray and Gaj..." another strangled sob, "They're all—"

"I know, I know," she says, not quite knowing what else to say to her. She can't say, "It'll be alright," because frankly, _nothing _right now is "alright." She highly doubts anything ever will be again.

"Wh-What'll we do now?"

Lucy doesn't know the answer to that. What can they do now except wait for death to take them back to their family? No, that'd be a coward's way out, as Natsu would tell her. There has to be _something _they could do.

In the light of the moon, something catches Lucy's eyes. It is large and, surprisingly, still standing despite all that has happened. And it is the most beautiful thing Lucy has seen since she came back from unconsciousness.

The Eclipse Gate.

She recalls what Arcadios told her and the rest of her friends before getting arrested not even twenty-four hours ago (or was it longer than that? She can't seem to care at the moment). With the power of the Zodiac Gate Keys, you could go back in time. Could this be their answer to everything? Could she be able to prevent all this?

_Could she save him?_

"Lu-chan?" Lucy turns back to Levy who is giving her a curious expression. She gives the blunette a bitter smile.

"Come, Levy-chan. We have a lot of work to do..."

o0o

Lucy stares at the door that will lead to the past. She then turns her gaze to her key ring. Once upon a time she would have been thrilled to obtain all thirteen gate keys, but now it just leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. She kisses each one, asking for strength and thanking them for all they have done for her.

"Are you ready?" Levy asks. The wounds on her face had healed, leaving nasty scars on her in their place. Gajeel's old headband was tied to her arm, as if in remembrance of him.

Lucy nods, "I don't quite know what I'm doing, but I promise I will go to the past and warn everybody before the dragons appear. I swear it."

Levy nods back and looks down, she whispers, "You may not come back."

Lucy feels the familiar burning of unshed tears. Swallowing, she looks Levy in the eyes and says, "Maybe not, but if everything goes according to plan, then this whole world won't exist. We can be with everyone again."

Levy looked doubtful, but gave a defeated sigh as she quickly embraced Lucy, "Please be careful."

"I will."

With that, Lucy pulls the hood of her cloak over her head with her left hand. Staring down the Eclipse Gate, she uses all her magic to summon all twelve Zodiac Keys. Thankfully it works, causing the gates to open and reveal a vortex to-hopefully-the past.

"Good luck, Lu-chan."

She nods and gives Levy one last smile, "Goodbye, Levy-chan."

She enters the gates, and as she feels the push and pull of time traveling backwards she allows her thoughts to wonder.

_I promise I will fix things._

_I won't let this hell of a future exist._

_I will save everyone._

_And I will save you, Natsu._

_Because it is about time I returned the favor..._

_And protected you._

When she opens her eyes, she is in front of the coliseum where the Games are being held. Walking inside she spots a calendar, and almost collapses from pure relief.

It is July 4th x791, three days before ten thousand dragons assault the country.

She succeeded.

Now all she needs to do is think of how to warn her friends...

The cheering of the crowd grabs her attention. Curious as to what part of the games she arrived at, she makes her way to the stands and stare at the lacrima-vision.

She is suddenly hit wit overwhelming emotion when she sees the match before.

_Natsu._

He is fighting. She remembers now that this was the day of his tag battle with the Sabertooth Dragons. He had promise to get revenge for her after Minnerva ruthlessly beat her in the Naval Battle. Natsu had a look of determination in his eyes, his stance never backing down even when Sting or Rogue tried to counter attack. Her lost friend then gives a speech on how he would teach them a lesson for laughing at his friends, _for laughing at her._

Lucy can't stop the tears from flowing from her eyes. Even when she wasn't in his fight, he still looked out for her. Her feelings for her Dragon Slayer made her resolve all the more stronger.

_I will fight too!_

_I promise Natsu, I will protect you and give you the future you rightfully deserve!_

_A future where you and me can live and go on many more adventures._

o0o

**I don't know, I think I was rambling with this toward the end. I just didn't know how to wrap everything up. Hopefully it didn't suck too bad.**

**Leave me a review and tell me what you think okay? And to my American readers: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 8D**


	9. Firsts

**Hello everyone! How about those new FT chapters? All I can say is, is that Natsu is a dork, I have major feels for Ultear, and I'm anticipating the next arc!**

**So, as for this oneshot, I couldn't think of just one first, so I decided to pick a lot of firsts! And I really like the end result so I hope you all do too!**

**Disclaimer: **Only Mashima has the power to make a happy-go-lucky chapter then head straight to gross sobbing territory.

o0o

_First Meeting_

They first meet in preschool.

"_Stop pulling my hair!_" five-year-old Lucy shrieked as the noisy kid with pink hair suddenly assaulted her pigtails.

"Aww come on, Luigi, I'm just playing with ya," the boy named Natsu said as he laughed at the girl.

"It's _Lucy_! And playing is supposed to be _fun_! What you're doing is _mean_!" the girl retorted as she swiped her hand at him, smacking the boy in the face.

"Ow! Now _you're _the mean one!"

As the two began bickering, they failed to notice their teacher coming up to them.

"_Natsu Dragneel! Lucy Heartfilia! _What on _earth _is the meaning of this?" their teacher asked with her no-nonsense tone and twisted mouth.

"He pulled my pigtails first, Miss Suppai!" Lucy told her first. Natsu sputtered, trying to save himself, but Miss Suppai would obviously have none of it.

"To the corner, Mr. Dragneel. No snacks or recess this afternoon and I will be having a word with your father when he comes to pick you up, understood."

Despite his anger, Natsu pouted and complied, "Yes Ma'am."

At snack time, Natsu sulked in his position in Time Out, trying to ignore the other kids' taunts as well as his growling stomach.

_Stupid, snot nosed girl, _he growled in his thoughts, _Getting me in trouble like that._

So caught up in his thoughts, Natsu didn't notice the presence behind him slowly place a few items next to him. When he realized there was something in his peripheral vision, he turned his head to see an oatmeal cookie (the snack of the day) and a juice box. Next to the pieces of food was the girl he was fighting with earlier, Lucy.

Natsu sneered, "What do you want?"

Lucy harrumphed, "Even though you _deserved _where you are now, I still feel bad about you missing snack-time, so since I don't really like oatmeal cookies, I guess you could have mine."

The boy blinked at her, "Are you serious? The cookie isn't poisoned is it? I bet that snot nosed Gray put you up to this, didn't he?"

"Just shut up and eat the cookie you idiot! Do you want to eat or not?"

"Well since you're being generous," with that he gobbled up the sweet and downed his juice box. After he was done he gave Lucy a grin.

"Thanks for the meal! You're not half bad Luigi!"

"_It's Lucy!_"

o0o

_First Friend_

_Your mother is very sick._

Those were the words eight-year-old Lucy's father told her this morning when she scurried downstairs to eat her mother's breakfast, only to catch her mother in a terrible coughing fit with her father escorting her to the car.

While it doesn't seem that much of a big deal since people get sick all the time, however, Lucy's mama has been falling ill a lot lately. Normally, the woman would go into her and her husband's bedroom and stay all day, but today she actually had to go to the hospital, which Lucy knew was a very big deal.

She was so worried about her mother's possible fate that she couldn't bear to talk to any one of her friends and classmates for fear of breaking down right then and there. She also skipped lunch because her worry made nothing seem appetizing. Now, as her peers shuffle outside for some much needed recess time, Lucy stays curled up at her desk, not even feeling up to playing with them much to her teacher's worry.

"If you need me," her teacher had told the girl as the rest of the students were shuffling out, "Just come and get me and I'll be right with you."

Even though she was grateful for the concern, Lucy didn't want anyone to be with her right now. She just wanted to be alone and nothing more.

"Hey Lucy!"

Or so she thought…

"Natsu, it's recess. Why are you here?" she asked, her voice more quiet than it normally was from not talking all day.

The pink haired boy grinned, "I told Mrs. Cooper that you told me to stay with you and she believed me!"

Lucy rose an eyebrow, "No I didn't."

Natsu rolled his eyes, "_Duh! _Of course you didn't but she doesn't have to know that! Now here! Look what I brought you!"

Lucy was surprised to see the boy pull out an abundance of food from his backpack: a bologna and cheese sandwich, a bag of chips, a pudding cup, an apple, and a few Airheads. When all the pieces of food were displayed on the blonde's desk she gave the boy another quizzical look.

"What's all this?"

"It food, duh! Gosh Luce, you're supposed to be the smart one!" he said.

Lucy glared, "I can _see _that doofus! But _why _are you giving me food!"

Now it was Natsu's turn to blink as he simply said, "You didn't eat lunch today so I decided keep some of the stuff I hadn't ate yet to give to you, except the bologna sandwich. That's actually Gray's, so don't tell him I stole it from him okay?"

Lucy still didn't know what to say but she didn't have to as Natsu gave her another face-splitting grin.

"Consider it me paying you back from that time you fed me in pre-school!"

For the first time all day Lucy smiled a real genuine smile. She picked up the (stolen) bologna sandwich and bit into it enthusiastically happy when Natsu cheered at his accomplishment at getting her to finally eat something.

She's never had a better best friend than Natsu Dragneel

o0o

_First Kiss_

"Alright, you two know the rules! _Now kiss,_" Cana guffawed as the two thirteen-year-olds blushed furiously at each other.

Natsu glared at the brunette, "This game is stupid, why do we have to do this again."

Lucy silently agreed but couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Did Natsu not _want _to kiss her?

_Well, we're just friends so it makes sense. Don't be so stupid Lucy! _She mentally chastised herself.

"It's _Spin the Bottle _Natsu," Cana replied to the pink haired boy, "Of _course _you have to kiss! Otherwise we'd be spinning a bottle randomly! Now do it before I get Mira to help me convince you to!"

The two teens visibly shuddered at the threat. It was one thing to refuse to do something Cana told you to do, but if you were dealing against _Mirajane Strauss _then things were definitely _not _in your favor.

Natsu huffed and tried to act nonchalant despite his pounding (and excited?) heart, "Fine, we'll kiss."

Lucy blushed again. This was it? She and Natsu were actually going to…kiss? Despite herself, she couldn't help but let her mind wonder more as her best friend approached her. Would this change their relationship? Will it actually _end _their friendship? Holy crap, she'd never kissed a boy before! What if she was bad at it?!

Her thoughts cease when she raised her head to look at Natsu who was now mere centimeters in front of her. From the look in his hazel green eyes, he was nervous too. This made the blonde feel a lot better.

Closing their eyes, the two leaned their faces to each other and smacked their lips together. It was awkward and really weird (and it didn't help that everyone was cheering and hollering embarrassing phrases), and yet, the kiss almost seemed…right. Like they should always do this kind of thing.

After what seemed like hours, the two departed and simply stared at the other with red faces, unable to speak. So Cana did it for them.

"Wanna try Seven Minutes in Heaven now?"

Lucy gasped and sputtered at the suggestion while Natsu just grabbed her hand and dragged her away, muttering something about getting snacks and playing darts or something akin to that. They never speak again of the kiss.

But they never forget either.

o0o

_First Date_

"You're not going to get motion sickness are you?"

Sixteen-year-old Natsu scowled at his girlfriend, "For the last time, Lucy, I only get sick if _someone else_ drives. I'm perfectly fine if I'm behind the wheel."

"The bumper car incident," Lucy deadpanned.

"That was one time! And in my defense, I had a faulty gas pedal and everyone else kept hitting my car and moving me around the ramp! Of course I was going to get sick!"

"You should have figured since that is the whole reason they're called _bumper _cars."

"Do you want to get this date started or not?"

Lucy giggle at her boyfriend's pout, "Yes of course! Let's go."

As far as first dates go, this was pretty typical. Dinner, a movie, and ending the night with stargazing at a secluded look out point. It was cliché and not at all different than what the two did _before _they became an official couple, but Lucy didn't mind it at all. This was her and Natsu, they were completely comfortable doing whatever they thought was best. And it works.

"You know," Natsu said turning his gaze from the sky to Lucy, "I'm really glad you said yes."

Lucy smiled and turned her own gaze to him, linking their fingers together, "I'm glad too. This was fun."

Natsu nodded in agreement and leaned over to her side to steal a kiss. It wasn't awkward or weird like their first all those years ago, but they still felt that same spark. Like they were always meant to do this.

"I love you, Lucy," he whispered when they parted for air.

"I love you too, Natsu."

o0o

_First Fight_

"What the_ hell_ is your problem?!" Lucy yelled at her boyfriend of one year as he dragged her out of the house party.

"_My _problem? What the hell is _your_ problem?!" Natsu yelled back looking absolutely livid.

"_My _problem is that you've been pissy all night and haven't even so much as said a _word _to me since we've got here!" she fired back. Honestly, she knew Natsu could have his own moments of moodiness but it was never directed at her.

"Well maybe I wouldn't be 'pissy' if you haven't been ignoring me all night and flirting with that meathead football player!"

Lucy stared at him in shock, "I wasn't _flirting _with him! I was just talking, Natsu!"

Natsu didn't look convinced, "I know what you look like when you try to flirt Luce. Even Gray and Erza thought it looked suspicious."

Now Lucy was the livid one, "Oh, okay so I'm not aloud to have a conversation with someone who is the opposite sex and not apart of our circle of friends, however, _you _can."

"What are you talking about?"

"You do like to show off, Natsu, _especially _when there is a crowd and believe me when I say that crowd contains mostly women," when she saw that he was about to protest she cut him off as she continued, "Yes it _is _the same thing. And you most certainly don't see _me_ huffing off in a jealous rage and accusing you to be a cheater because of it."

"I'm not accusing you of cheating—"

"Then what are you doing, Natsu, because frankly you're just wasting my time right now!"

"I'M JUST SCARED OKAY!"

Lucy blinked at the confession. Natsu, being _scared_? The idea would make her laugh if he didn't look so honest and vulnerable in front of her right now. He took a deep breath and continued with his revelation.

"Lucy, you're just _too good _for me. You could have any guy you want and they'd be able to give you anything you'd ask with no problem. I'm just some punk who can barely afford the things your dad could snap his fingers to get. Who's to say you wouldn't leave me in a heartbeat once you realized how worthless I really am."

Lucy stared at him in complete surprise. Up until this point, she never even knew Natsu had insecurities like this. Sure he would pout and make off-handed comments about not having any money to buy her nice things like other boyfriends would do, but Lucy never really cared about that. She had told him time and time again—even before they started dating—that she cared more about spending time with him and the rest of her friends than superficial things like material possessions.

When she snapped out of her thoughts, she set a determined frown and much to Natsu's surprise, she slapped him.

As he held his reddening cheek speechless, Lucy began talking, "Listen Natsu and listen good. I have not and will never _care _about whether you buy me things or not. The gesture is nice, it really is, but it isn't everything I care about. I care about _you_, and nothing else. I thought you of all people would know that."

She turned her back on him and was about to leave to go back inside the house when she felt him pull her back and into his embrace.

"I'm sorry. Please don't leave me."

She smiled and held his arms as they stood in place.

"Idiot, like I'd ever leave you."

o0o

_First Time_

Lucy hid her face in her hands as Natsu shed her prom dress to the floor leaving her in nothing but a strapless bra and frilly panties.

"Lucy?"

"Sorry, sorry!" she apologized as she removed her hands, revealing a brilliant red face, "I-It's just that I've…never done this before."

Natsu gave a nervous chuckle, "And you think I have? We don't have to do this if you don't want to. I've waited two years, I can wait some more."

Her heart instantly melted at his words, which made her remember why she decided to give herself to him in the first place. He'd do anything for her just like she'd do anything for him.

Leaning up to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, Lucy whispered, "I'm ready. I love you, Natsu."

He gave her a tender smile as he brushed her blonde locks from her face, "I love you too, Lucy."

They then shared a passionate kiss, which led to a very passionate night between the two lovers

o0o

_First Love_

"How's my dress? It isn't ripped or dirty is it?" twenty-five-year old Lucy Heartfilia (soon to be Dragneel much to her pleasure) asked as she twirled around in the pristine white gown to her closest friends.

"No, Lu-chan, it's just fine," Levy reassured her.

"What about my hair? Should I have gone with an up-do instead?"

"Juvia thinks Lucy's hair is beautiful," the other blue haired beauty replied as she tried to keep Lucy from fiddling with her blonde tresses.

"What if I get out there and he isn't at the altar? What if he got cold feet and escaped through the window? He probably thinks getting married to his high school sweetheart is a mistake—"

She was abruptly cut off by Erza slapping her face—not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to leave her speechless—and confidently told her, "Stop it Lucy. You shouldn't be having doubts like these. Natsu loves you and only you. He would do everything in his power for you and you know it. So please do not fret and be happy. After all, you're getting married to the man you love."

She smiled at Erza's words, feeling teary-eyed, "Thank you, Erza. I'm sorry, it was just my nerves getting the better of me."

"We understand," Erza replied, returning the smile as she and her best girl friend exchanged a hug, which was followed by a massive group hug by every other girl in the bride's changing room.

There was a knock on the door and Mirajane, who offered to be Lucy's wedding planner, came into the room, "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

The blonde nodded in confidence, and Cana bellowed out, "Let's get this party started already! We've been waiting for this moment for twenty years!"

As all the bridesmaids shuffled in line at the front doors of the church, Lucy took the rear and linked arms with her guardian/bodyguard, Capricorn.

"Layla-sama and Jude-sama would be very pleased if they saw you now my lady," he told her, giving her a proud smile. Lucy returned it.

"Thank you, Capricorn. That means a lot."

The doors opened and each of Lucy's bridesmaids walked down the aisle until it was just her and her escort. She heard the tune of the traditional wedding march and walked into the church. While she recognized all the faces staring at her in awe, she found her eyes staring at the man at the front of the altar. He was her first and best friend and her first and real love. He was Natsu Dragneel and she was more than happy to finally become his forever.

She and Capricorn made it to the front of the altar where Capricorn gladly gave Lucy away to Natsu. As they linked arms, the couple stared into each other's eyes, barely paying attention to the priest's words as he spoke of love and the symbolism of marriage.

"Wow," Natsu whispered to her so only she could hear, "You look amazing."

Lucy blushed and grinned even wider at him, "You're not so bad yourself, handsome."

Later on in the ceremony, they exchanged their vows and soon it was time for the moment everyone was waiting for.

"Natsu," the priest began, "Do you take Lucy as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Natsu looked the priest dead in the eye and said, "Of course I do! What do you think I am, an idiot?"

While there were chuckles among the crowd, Erza and Mira gave the groom a glare for his gruff choice of words, Gray rolled his eyes and swat the boy on the head, and even Lucy's smile became a little tight. Well, at least he was being himself…

"Okay then," the priest said, a little baffled at the groom's words but turned to the bride next, "Do you Lucy, take Natsu as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, fro better and for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," she said still looking into her love's eyes.

"Then by the power bested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

He didn't have to tell them twice, for the two of them quickly embraced and molded their lips together.

"Save it for the honeymoon!" Cana yelled as everybody else cheered and laughed at their favorite pair.

They bride and groom finally parted from each other, sharing adoring grins as they gazed at the other.

"You're mine forever Mrs. Dragneel," he said giving his new wife an affectionate peck on the lips.

"Always, Mr. Dragneel," she giggled.

They were each other's first in many departments.

And now they can go through many more firsts as husband and wife.

o0o

**Forgot to mention: Thanks guys for over 50 reviews! It means a lot to me how much you all love reading these silly stories of mine! Hopefully I can continue to deliver!**

**See you guys later!**


	10. Nervous

**This was a PAIN to write! Mostly because I had an idea of what I wanted, but didn't know how to go about it. But I've finally finished just in time for you guys so I hope you all enjoy. As always thanks for the reviews and overall support of this series! We've got one more chapter until it's done ^^**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Fairy Tail. Otherwise Natsu and Lucy's relationship would be extra cheesy with a good helping of fluff!

o0o

Natsu took a deep breath. His hands were sweating, which was odd because he rarely ever sweats unless he undergoes intense training or is worn out from a battle. He gulped and gave a determined stare to what was in front of him. He could do this!

"I-I love you, Lucy."

There was silence, as Natsu's own reflection stared right back at him. Cackling laughter soon followed from the other side of the room as Natsu turned his gaze from the mirror to his blue partner.

"Wh-What's so funny?!" he asked, an embarrassed blush painting his face.

"It took you twenty minutes to say _that_?" Happy laughed as tears fell from his eyes, "Wow Natsu, that's pathetic."

The boy swiped at his best friend, "You aren't helping!"

The exceed ceased his laughter to give the Dragon Slayer a blank look, "Why are you practicing so much just to say three little words? Wouldn't it be easy just to tell Lucy with no problems?"

"It's not that simple!" he exclaimed, "It's as if every time she looks at me the feeling in my chest gets worse and I realize I can't breathe anymore. It's weird and Lucy's weird for making me feel weird!"

Happy contemplated his words and gave Natsu a serious look, "Sounds like you're nervous, Natsu."

Natsu scoffed, "Psh, that's a laugh! As if I'd be nervous of telling Lucy I lo—That I lov—errm," he gulped. Why couldn't he freaking say it?!

"That you love her," Happy finished for him.

"Y-Yeah, that."

This is going to be a challenge...

o0o

"I can do this," Natsu said to no one in particular as he stood in front of the guild's doors, "Just gotta go in there and tell her. No sweat! I'm all fired up!"

"Aye! Do your best, Natsu!" Happy cheered as he opened the doors and flew in, practically leading his salmon-haired best friend to the object of his affections.

Lucy was sitting at her usual seat at the bar, drinking a milkshake and chatting with Mirajane. When she saw Happy land next to her, she bid him a hello and rubbed behind his ears. She then turned toward her partner.

"Hey, Natsu! How are you today?"

Natsu gulped. He was confident before, but now that he was standing there in front of her with her doe brown eyes gazing at him with all of her attention, it was making confessing all the more hard for him...

"I-I'm fine," he replied and mentally kicked himself. _Don't stutter, you idiot!_

"Hey, listen Lucy," he began again as he tried to ignore the flips and turns of his stomach as she cocked her head to the side in an impossibly cute manner, "I need to tell you something."

"Oh, okay. What is it?"

"I—" he started but suddenly stopped. This isn't good...

_Don't choke Dragneel!_

"You..." Lucy tried helping him out. Behind her, Happy was trying to encourage him along mouthing the words, "Say it! You _love _her!" Damnit! Why'd she have to have this effect on him? This isn't supposed to be hard! At all!

Natsu gritted his teeth, let out a long breath from his nostrils, and set his determined gaze on Lucy, "Lucy, I need to tell you that I really, really lo—"

"Yo, Flamebrain!" a voice interrupted him. Gray came over and smacked the Salamander hard on his back, "What's with your composure? You look constipated."

The pink haired boy growled and without looking at his frienemy, punched him square in the jaw.

"What was that for, you ass?!"

"You bastard! Do you have any idea how _close _I was!" Natsu yelled as he pounced on the Ice Mage, causing another one of their daily brawls.

Lucy and Happy stared at the spectacle, the former blinking in confusion while the latter shook his head in disappointment.

"What just happened?" the blonde asked.

"Plan A's failure."

"...What?"

o0o

"Here, Natsu, try this!" Happy exclaimed happily as he presented his friend with a large fish tied with a big red bow.

The two were outside of the guild. After Gray and Natsu started their fight, a lot of the other guild members joined too. Unfortunately, it got a _little _out of hand which involved a table, a half full tankard of booze, one of the instruments from the stage, and the Titania's most favored strawberry cake. The experience will make Natsu shudder for _months_.

"What's with the fish?" the Dragon Slayer asked with raised brows.

"Well, when I want to show Charle how much she means to me, I give her a fish! If you give this to Lucy, she'll see how much you love her!" Happy said with a proud grin on his face.

"But Lucy hates fish..."

"Eh?! How could she hate _fish_? You're in love with a weirdo, Natsu!"

"I know that already!"

"Eh? You plan on giving _that _to Lucy? Oh Natsu, don't show a girl your love with that thing!"

Natsu and Happy turned to see the cheerful face of Lisanna. In her hands was a bright bouquet of roses with a ribbon that says, "I Love You."

"Give her these!" she said as she thrust the bouquet in his hands.

"Wha—? Lisanna, do you always carry around flowers or something?" Natsu asked, as he smelled the roses experimentally. They did smell nice, kind of like Lucy but not as good. _Nothing, _in his opinion, smelled better than Lucy.

"No silly!" she giggled, "Those are from one of Mira-nee's admirers. She told me to take them home, but since you need them more than she does, I think it'll be alright if you used them to give to Lucy."

Natsu took a moment to process what his childhood friend was saying to him, before a huge grin took up half of his face, "Are you serious? You're the best, Lisanna!"

He then crushed her with a hug, which she gladly returned, however, their good mood was shattered when they heard a piercing gasp.

"Oh, my... Has it finally happened?" the three Fairy Tail Mages turned to see Laki come out of the guild doors and stare at them with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Have the 'Childhood Friends' finally confessed their unyielding love for one another?" she continued as she kept staring at them.

"What?" Natsu asked, dumbfounded. Happy began to panic as well as Lisanna, who was waving her hands frantically.

"No, Laki! It isn't—"

"And here I thought our Natsu's affections lied with Lucy. I suppose we were all jaded with a fleeting hope..."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"I must go and tell the others of the great news!" with that she ran back inside the guild. While Natsu didn't quite understand Laki's odd sense of wording, he did understand one thing... She thought he confessed to Lisanna! And she was going to tell the whole guild.

_Like hell I'll let that happen!_

Shoving the flowers back to Lisanna, he sprinted into the guild just in time to hear Laki call out, "Hey everyone! Natsu and Lisanna are-mmph!"

"Just fine and dandy and in good health," Natsu finished for her, laughing nervously, "Great _friends _and nothing more!"

While some blinked and gave the two curious looks, others just brushed it off as one of Natsu's antics and went back to their business. Natsu sighed in relief and removed his hand from Laki's mouth.

"They were for Lucy," he told her when he saw her open her mouth. It instantly snapped close as a look of understanding flashed across her face.

"Ah, I see. My apologies."

"Yeah, whatever," he sighed, watching her leave. He was about to go back and retrieve the flowers from Lisanna when Lucy suddenly popped up to his side, causing him to jump.

"Guah! Where'd you come from?"

"You were acting kind of tense, so I went to see if everything was okay. I also accidentally overheard you say the something was for me?"

_Oh shit..._

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What did you get me?"

"I-I got you a, uhh," crap there was those damn nerves again! There needs to be a potion to get rid of those! Unless there already is a potion like that, then put in an order for him, please!

"You're acting stranger than usual today. Are you sure there isn't anything wrong?"

_Yes Lucy, there is something wrong. My heart is about to explode out of my chest because you keep looking at me with those stupid, weird puppy dog eyes of yours! Just close your eyes or something so I can properly tell you I love you, okay?_

"Nothing's wrong, Luce, I promise!" he said giving her what he hoped was a reassuring grin, "I actually remembered that I need to take care of something. See ya later!"

With that he rushed out of the guild, leaving a thoroughly confused—and a little hurt—Lucy in his wake.

Outside, Lisanna and Happy gave the boy un-amused stares.

"Don't look at me like that! You two would do the same if she looked at you with those damn eyes of hers!"

"Natsu Dragneel, you've got it baaaaad," Lisanna said smirking.

"Aye."

o0o

"Alright, Natsu, this plan is guaranteed full-proof!" Happy assured him as he held up a notebook.

Natsu blinked at the item, "I'm going to give her this to show my feelings?"

"No! You're going to _write _your feelings. Since you, you know, _can't say them_."

"Oh, shut up!" he said as he snatched the notebook from the exceed's paws, "This'll be a piece of cake!"

"That's what you said about the other attempts…"

Ignoring his partner Natsu walked into the guild and after asking Reedus for a (non-magic) pen, he made his way to where Lucy and Levy were having a conversation.

"Lucy!" he called out, wishing for his heart to stop beating so hard and the heat to subside on his face.

"Natsu! There you are!" Lucy turned to him, standing up, "You were gone for a while there. Are you sure you're okay?"

_Once I tell you these stupid feelings, I _will _be more than okay!_

"Of course I'm fine, Luce!" he said. He then opened the notebook and began writing everything about her in his mind, while also trying to keep his blonde partner from overlooking his shoulder.

"Since when did you write?" she asked after failing to see what he was doing.

"Since now," he said as he finished up with his words and gave the notebook to Lucy, "Now read this!"

There was a pause as Lucy read. Natsu's already jumpy nerves were getting worse as he noticed Lucy's expression. It wasn't excited, teary-eyed, or even blushing! And Lucy always blushed! Does she not return his feelings?

_I knew it was too good to be true!_

"Uhh, Natsu."

Hearing her uneasy voice, Natsu looked to her, fearing the oncoming rejection, "Y-Yeah?"

"What did you write?"

"What?"

"You're writing. I can't read it." She then showed the collection of papers back to him and Natsu looked at it thoughtfully. Well _he _could read it, but he then realized that his handwriting was a lot sloppier than Lucy's. Hell, now that he thought of it, he realized his handwriting was sloppier than _everyone's._

"Oh, oops," was all he could say.

"Let me look!" Levy piped up as she bounced over to the two, swiping the notebook from Natsu's grasp, "I'm pretty good at distinguishing bad handwriting as well!"

While Natsu would rather have Lucy only read his confession on paper, he guessed Levy would have to do since she was a genius in this particular area. Anything is better than a spoken confession.

After a while, Levy furrowed her eyebrows before lowering the paper. Her eyes began to water.

"Ahh, Levy-chan, What's wrong?" Lucy asked as she tried to comfort her friend.

"I—I _can't read it!_"

There were gasps all around as the petite girl sobbed about what a failure she was. Natsu tried to pull himself back from beating his head on a pillar. Who knew his handwriting was so bad that a known _specialist _couldn't read it!

While everyone in the guild tried to give the blue-haired girl comforting words, Natsu snuck out for the third time today. Too bad he missed the person he tried so many times to confess to give him a longing look as he left.

o0o

"_Charades?!_"

"Aye!"

"What kind of idea is _that _Happy?!"

"It's the only one I've got left! I don't see you coming up with anything Mister Nervous!"

"_I'm not nervous!_"

Happy gave him a no-nonsense look, "Take it or leave it, Natsu. Otherwise you're on your own."

"Natsu sighed in defeat. It was his only shot left. Lucy would be leaving for her home soon.

"Okay I'll do it."

"Great! Now go and get her!"

He walked into the guild and spotted Lucy at a table with the rest of Team Natsu. He rushed over there. _It's now or never!_

"Hey Lucy, want to play a game?" he asked as he plopped on the bench with her.

Lucy gave him a disbelieving look, "Seriously? First you start a brawl, then you get me something but refuse to tell me what it is, then you make Levy-chan cry, _now _you want to play a game? What is up with you today, Natsu?"

"I agree," Erza said, "You have been rather odd."

"Odder than usual," Gray commented.

"No one asked you, Popsicle!" Natsu yelled but shook his head. He needed to _focus_!

"Come on Lucy, just one game and then I'll leave you alone!" he pleaded. Thankfully, he features softened and she nodded.

"Oh, alright. What game do you want to play?"

"Charades!"

The blonde blinked at him, "That's…random."

_Tell me about it. _He thought but didn't let his annoyance show, "Yep, I'll act one thing out and you'll guess what it is, okay?"

Lucy nodded, "Sure, sounds fun!"

"Great!" Natsu said starting the game by holding up three fingers.

"Three words," Lucy observed. Natsu nodded and continued by pulling his ear, "Sounds like…"

Natsu pointed to his eye. Lucy was about to reply when Erza cut her off.

"Cornea."

There was a long pause.

"Eh? _Cornea_? Erza it's obviously pupil!" Gray said as if that was the most logical answer.

Natsu wanted to smash his team members' heads together. _This was his and Lucy's game!_

"Err guys," Lucy interrupted the banter, "I think he means 'I.'"

Natsu could kiss her right now (I actually he wanted to kiss her all the time but that's not the point). He nodded enthusiastically as he reveled in Erza and Gray's grumbling looks.

"Alright, Natsu, 'I' what?" Lucy asked, actually looking excited with this game.

In reply, Natsu formed what he thought was a heart with his hands. Unfortunately, before Lucy could give her answer, his nosy teammates once again interrupt.

"Circle!"

"Erza, that looks _nothing _like a circle! It's a triangle!"

"_Triangle_?" Cana popped up, drunkenly looking at Natsu's hands, "Gray, honey it points downward right there. It's an arrowhead!"

_An arrowhead? _Natsu thought as he wondered where the lush even came from? Pretty soon, all the guild members were joining in the game, guessing from simple to downright _odd _things Natsu's word could possibly be.

"It's a man!"

"No, Elfman it obviously isn't!"

"Maybe it's a bird?"

"I'm telling you guys, it's a triangle!"

"Gray, go put your clothes on and guess something _practical_!"

Natsu couldn't take it anymore. Slamming his hands on the table he shouted as loud as he could, "YOU'RE ALL WRONG!"

There was a pause before Erza huffed, "Natsu, you aren't supposed to talk during the game."

Natsu cried out, some fire spewing from his mouth as he said, "FORGET IT!"

He stomped out of the guild.

"What's his problem?" Cana asked, not bothering to comment further when Lucy ran after her best friend.

Outside the guild, Natsu was kicking up dirt and rocks while punching the nearest light post he could find. Happy looked at his friend in worry.

"There's always tomorrow."

"Just forget it, Happy! If I couldn't tell her today, there is probably no way I can tell her tomorrow! I've tried _four _different times and have nothing to show for it! This is so _frustrating_!" Natsu yelled wanting to pull his hair out and _burn _something (particularly his guildmates since they kept ruining his moments).

"Natsu."

The two friends look toward the voice and found Lucy giving him a worried look, "Are you okay?"

"Look at the time," Happy said looking at his paw as if he had a watch on, "I've got to go. Bye guys, see you later! And good luck Natsu!"

With the cat gone, it was just Natsu and Lucy. Alone.

Lucy was still waiting for Natsu's answer to her question. He gave a tired sigh.

"I'm just frustrated and really pissed off right now. Sorry."

"It was just a game, Natsu," she said as if the stupid game of charades was the root of his entire problem. He chuckled bitterly.

"No, Luce, it isn't just the game. It's this _whole day_ that pisses me off!"

"What do you mean?" she asked, her pretty, pretty eyes practically burning into his soul. _Now or never I guess..._

"All day I've been trying to tell you something, but all day I've kept getting distracted. First it was Gray, then Laki and Levy, and then pretty much the entire guild! I've faced worst than this, so it is frustrating that telling you I love you is so _hard _for me."

"I love you, too."

"And if I'm not getting interrupted, I get nervous! Me, Lucy, _nervous_?! That's crazy!"

"Natsu, didn't you—"

"You have this powerful effect on me Lucy, and I don't know how you do it! If it isn't you eyes then it's your smile! And if it isn't that, then it's your body or your scent or your—"

"_Natsu!_"

"What! Can't you see I'm trying to tell you my problems?!"

His answer came in the form of Lucy kissing him square on the lips. After processing what was happening, Natsu gave in and kissed her back. Oh, yes, this was what he wanted for so long!

When they parted, Lucy giggled, "If you stopped talking for five minutes, you would have heard that I said I loved you too, stupid!"

Natsu blinked and rethought what said in his rant, only to blush when he realized he slipped in his confession.

Lucy laughed louder at his expression, entwining their fingers together as she led him away, "Come on, Mister Nervous, let's go get something to eat."

Despite her teasing nickname for him, he grinned and started running, dragging her along with him.

"Great! I know the perfect place too!"

The newly established couple ran off, laughing and blushing and being happy together, not noticing the blue exceed watching over them with a giddy grin on his furry face.

"I _knew _he could do it," he giggled, "They _love _each other!"

o0o

**Hope you all enjoyed reading it! Tell me your thoughts okay? See you guys for the last chapter!**


	11. Compatibility

**Hey guys! Last day of NaLu Week brings the final oneshot! I'm so excited I got all the prompts in on each day! It makes me feel accomplished.**

**Although, this one doesn't go along with the prompt, "Fire and Keys." I tried wracking my brain for something that would fit with the prompt while also wrapping up this series. Nothing came to mind, so I wrote my own prompt, "Compatibility." It's short but I hope you all like it! Thank you all for the support!**

**Disclaimer: **For the last time, I DO NOT own Fairy Tail!

o0o

They came from different worlds.

He was raised by a dragon, born into the wild where survival was what mostly mattered. She, however, was an heiress, who was given all the nicest things money and power could buy.

They're different, and yet, not so different at the same time.

They have both known the pain of losing loved ones, of feeling abandoned. Thankfully, he was fortunate to stumble across a rowdy guild to call home. She, on the other hand had grown to despise hers.

It isn't until one fateful day that they meet. He (unknowingly) saves her from a Charm Spell, and in return she feeds him and his cat companion. She was looking for a new home. He would be able to deliver to her.

Soon, they are fast friends, forming a team and building a bond that would surprise even the oldest of Fairy Tail's guild members.

They are two different dynamics in their little team, but where one lacks the other fills in.

He is strong, destructive and prefers close range attacks where he can hit his opponents. She is clever, cautious and prefers to stay at a distance with her whip and her Celestial Spirits helping her out with a strategy.

They work well together, which makes them Fairy Tail's Most Compatible Team.

But it isn't just missions where they are compatible, no, they are also very comfortable friends.

He is the loud and boisterous one who wants in on any action that comes his way. She is the more reserved one, wanting to chat with her friends rather than spar with them. Somehow, they work well together. They are unstoppable as a team, happy as best friends, and very _very _stubborn as a soon-to-be couple much to the guild's frustration.

They don't care though...

He was never a fan of romance. He cared for his nakama and that was all he thought there was to it. Nothing sugar coated.

Although, he cared for her differently and there were times where he wondered, "What if?"

She, meanwhile, had always been a hopeless romantic. For years, the girl had fantastical dreams of finding her soulmate and living happily ever after just like her books. After leaving her mansion and finding Fairy Tail, she had realized that those dreams were just what they were: dreams. If she wants her happy ending, she has to make it for herself. No waiting around for anyone to come and save.

Although, there were times where she thought that waiting for her best friend to make a move wasn't so bad...

In the end, they ignore the budding feelings and go on with their lives. They love each other, but not to that extent. Not yet anyway. As long as they continue with their comfortable and compatible relationship, everything will be alright.

Because they are Natsu and Lucy and it is always more fun when they are together.

o0o

**THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS, FAVORITES, FOLLOWS, ALERTS, ETC. It all means so much to me, I just want to hug all of you! I hope you all enjoyed Sunshine and Summertime! Maybe you'll see more oneshots from me in the future!**

**THANK YOU AGAIN AND A VERY HAPPY NALU WEEK TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU \^O^/**


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